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Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Third Year of the Reading Cycle
Tebet 04, 5771 – December 10/11, 2010	Third Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 5:11 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 6:10 PM	Brisbane, Australia Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 6:17 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 7:15 PM	Bucharest, Romania Fri Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 4:18 PM Sat. Dec.11, 2010 – Havdalah 5:25 PM
Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 5:12 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 6:11 PM	Jakarta, Indonesia Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 5:41 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 6:34 PM	Manila & Cebu, Philippines Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 5:09 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 6:02 PM
Miami, FL, U.S. Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 5:12 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 6:08 PM	Olympia, WA, U.S. Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 4:04 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 5:14 PM	Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 4:19 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 5:20 PM
Conroe, TX, U.S. Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 5:13 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 6:10 PM	Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 3:56 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 5:02 PM	Singapore, Singapore Fri. Dec. 10, 2010 – Candles at 6:41 PM Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 – Havdalah 7:32 PM

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

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:

His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife

His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

His Excellency Dr. Adon Yeshayahu ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Tricia Foster

His Excellency Adon Yisrael ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Vardit bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Laurie Taylor

His Excellency Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Dr. Elisheba 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!

We dedicate this Torah Seder To His Excellency Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah on their taking upon themselves the yokes of the Torah and of the Kingdom upon themselves forever, and under the supervision of our Bet Din. We congratulate them for their courage to chose wisely, and for joining the Jewish people and our family in being a light to all the Gentiles. May Ha Shem, most blessed be He grant them much joy, perseverance and prosper their walk in the Mitzvoth according to the teachings of our Sages, and our Master King Yeshua the Messiah, amen ve amen! Welcome to our family!

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ
“Shemen Zayit Zakh”	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 24:1-4	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 25:35-38
“pure olive oil”	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 24:5-12	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 25:39-42
“aceite de olivas claro”	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 24:13-23	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 24:43-46
Vayiqra (Lev.) 24:1 - 25:34	Reader 4 – Vayiqra 25:1-7
Ashlamatah: Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4	Reader 5 – Vayiqra 25:8-13
	Reader 6 – Vayiqra 25:14-24	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 25:35-38
Psalm 88:1-19	Reader 7 – Vayiqra 25:25-34	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 25:39-42
	Maftir: Vayiqra 25:29-34	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 25:43-46
N.C.: 2 Peter 3:1-7	Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 24:1 – 25:34

Rashi	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	1. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh,saying:
2. Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure olive oil, crushed for lighting, to kindle the lamps continually.	2. Command the children of Israel that they bring of their own, pure beaten olive oil for the light, that the lamps may burn continually, on the day of Sabbath, and on the day of work;
3. Outside the dividing curtain of the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall set it up before the Lord from evening to morning continually. [This shall be] an eternal statute for your generations.	3. outside of the veil of the testimony for evermore, because the Shekinah dwells in Israel: in the tabernacle of ordinance will Aharon order it from evening till morning before the Lord continually, by an everlasting statute unto your generations.
4. Upon the pure menorah, he shall set up the lamps, before the Lord, continually.	4. - - -
5. And you shall take fine flour and bake it [into] twelve loaves. Each loaf shall be [made from] two tenths [of an ephah of flour].	5. And you will take flour, and bake thereof twelve cakes, according to the twelve tribes; two tenths will be one cake.
6. And you place them in two stacks, six in each stack, upon the pure table, before the Lord.	6. And you will set them in two orders (rows), six in one order, and six in the other upon the table in its purity, as it is ordained before the LORD.
7. And you shall place pure frankincense alongside each stack, and it shall be a reminder for the bread, a fire offering to the Lord.	7. And you will put upon the orders pure frankincense, that it may be an oblation of memorial bread before the LORD.
8. Each and every Sabbath day, he shall set it up before the Lord [to be there] continuously, from the children of Israel an eternal covenant.	8. From Sabbath day to Sabbath day he will order it anew before the LORD continually from the children of Israel. This will be an everlasting statute.
9. And it shall belong to Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, for it is holy of holies for him, among the fire offerings of the Lord, an eternal statute.	9. And it will be for Aharon and for his sons, and they will eat it after they have taken it from off the table in the holy place; for it is most sacred to him of the oblations of the LORD by an everlasting statute.
10. Now, the son of an Israelite woman and he was the son of an Egyptian man went out among the children of Israel, and they quarreled in the camp this son of the Israelite woman, and an Israelite man.	10. But a wicked man, a rebel against the God of heaven, had come out of Mizraim, the son of the Mizraite man who had killed the man of Israel in Mizraim, and had gone in unto his wife, who conceived and bare a son among the children of Israel. And while the Israelites were dwelling in the wilderness, he had sought to spread his tent in the midst of the tribe of the children of Dan; but they would not permit him, because in the arrangements of Israel every man dwelt with his family by the ensigns of the house of their fathers. And they contended together in the camp, and the son of the Israelitess with a man of Israel, who was of the tribe of Dan, went to the house of judgment;
11. And the son of the Israelite woman pronounced the [Divine] Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.	11. and when they had come out from the house of judgment, where he had been condemned, the son of the daughter of Israel expressed and reviled the great and glorious Name of Manifestation which he had heard at Sinai, and defiled and execrated; and the name of his mother was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibree, of the tribe of Dan.
12. They placed him in the guardhouse, [until his sentence would] be specified to them by the word of the Lord.	12. This is one of four judgments which were brought in before Mosheh the prophet, who decided them by the dictate of the Word, who is above. They were judgments about money and about life. In judgments on money Mosheh was prompt; but in the judgment on life he was deliberate (or slow by delay) each (party) Mosheh said, I have not heard: that He might teach the chiefs of the Sanhedrin of Israel, who were to arise after him, to be prompt in judgments respecting money, but slow in judgments that affected life; and not to be ashamed to inquire for counsel in cases that should be too hard for them, forasmuch as Mosheh, Rabban of Israel, had need to say, I have not heard. Therefore they shut him up in the house of confinement till the time that it should be explained to them by the decree of the Word of the LORD.
13. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	13. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
14. Take the blasphemer outside the camp, and all who heard [his blasphemy] shall lean their hands on his head. And the entire community shall stone him.	14. Bring forth the blasphemer without the camp, and let the witnesses who heard his blasphemy, and the judges, lay their hands upon his head, and let the whole congregation stone him with stones.
15. nd to the children of Israel, you shall speak, saying: Any man who blasphemes his God shall bear his sin.	15. And speak you with the sons of Israel, saying: A man young or old who will blaspheme the known Name of his God will bear his sin.
16. And one who blasphemously pronounces the Name of the Lord, shall be put to death; the entire community shall stone him; convert and resident alike if he pronounces the [Divine] Name, he shall be put to death.	16. Whosoever expresses and reviles the Name of the LORD will verily be put to death; all the congregation will cast stones upon him, whether he be a sojourner or native-born, when he has blasphemed the Name that is Alone, he will die.
17. And if a man strikes down any human being he shall be put to death.	17. And if a man destroys the life of any one of the children of Israel, he will verily be put to death by the sword.
18. And one who slays an animal shall pay for it [the value of] a life for the life [he took].	18. And he who destroys the life of an animal will make it good, a living animal for a living one.
19. And a man who inflicts an injury upon his fellow man just as he did, so shall be done to him [namely,]	19. And a man who inflicts a blemish on his neighbor, whatsoever he has done it will be done unto him:
20. fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Just as he inflicted an injury upon a person, so shall it be inflicted upon him.	20. the value of a fracture for a fracture; the value of an eye for an eye; the value of a tooth for a tooth; whatsoever blemish he inflicts upon the man, the same will be rendered unto him.
21. And one who injures an animal shall pay for it. And one who strikes a person shall be put to death.	21. He who kills a beast will restore it; but be who slays a man will be slain.
22. One law shall be exacted for you, convert and resident alike, for I am the Lord, your God.	22. One judgment will you have for the stranger and for the native; for I am the LORD your God.
23. And Moses told [all this] to the children of Israel. So they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him, and the children of Israel did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.	23. And Mosheh spoke with the sons of Israel, and they brought forth the blasphemer without the camp, and stoned him with stones; and the sons of Israel did it, by laying their hands upon, leading him away hanging, and burying him, as the LORD had commanded Mosheh.
1. And the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying,	1. AND the LORD spoke with Mosheh in the mountain of Sinai, saying:
2. Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them: When you come to the land that I am giving you, the land shall rest a Sabbath to the Lord.	2. Speak with the children of Israel, and say to them: When you have entered into the land that I will give to you, then will the ground rest for a rest before the LORD.
3. You may sow your field for six years, and for six years you may prune your vineyard, and gather in its produce,	3. Six years you will sow your fields, and six years prune your vineyards and gather in the fruit;
4. But in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest a Sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard.	4. but in the seventh year there will be a rest of remission to the earth, that she may rest before the LORD; you will not sow your fields, nor prune your vineyards
5. You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest, and you shall not pick the grapes you had set aside [for yourself], [for] it shall be a year of rest for the land.	5. The after crop which remains from your harvests you may not reap, nor of your later grapes make a vintage; a year of remission it will be unto the earth;
6. And [the produce of] the Sabbath of the land shall be yours to eat for you, for your male and female slaves, and for your hired worker and resident who live with you,	6. but the remission of the ground will be to you for food, to you, to your servant, and to your handmaid, and to your hireling, and to the stranger who dwells with you;
7. And all of its produce may be eaten [also] by your domestic animals and by the beasts that are in your land.	7. and for your cattle and for the animals that are in your land will be the produce of it (also).
8. And you shall count for yourself seven sabbatical years, seven years seven times. And the days of these seven sabbatical years shall amount to forty nine years for you.	8. And you will number to yourselves seven Sabbaths of years, seven times seven years, and they will be to you the sum of the days of seven Sabbaths (or remissions, shemittim) of years, forty and nine years.
9. You shall proclaim [with] the shofar blasts, in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month; on the Day of Atonement, you shall sound the shofar throughout your land.	9. And you will make the voice of the trumpet to sound a jubilee in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, on the Day of the Expiations you will make the voice of the trumpet of Liberty to pass through all your land.
10. And you shall sanctify the fiftieth year, and proclaim freedom [for slaves] throughout the land for all who live on it. It shall be a Jubilee for you, and you shall return, each man to his property,_ and you shall return, each man to his family.	10. And you will sanctify that year, the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty in the land of Israel to all the inhabitants; Jubilee will it be to you, and you will return every man to his inheritance, and every man unto his family, you will return.
11. This fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee for you you shall not sow, nor shall you reap its aftergrowth or pick [its grapes] that you had set aside [for yourself].	11. The year of Jubilee will that fiftieth be to you: you will not sow, nor reap the after crop, nor make vintages of the grapes which have been let alone.
12. For it is Jubilee. It shall be holy for you; you shall eat its produce from the field.	12. For that Jubilee will be sacred to you, the produce of the field will you eat.
13. During this Jubilee year, you shall return, each man to his property.	13. In this year of Jubilee you will return every man unto his inheritance.
14. And when you make a sale to your fellow Jew or make a purchase from the hand of your fellow Jew, you shall not wrong one another.	14. And when you sell sales to your neighbours, or you buy disposable (or moveable) goods from the hand of your neighbours, it is not allowable for a man to defraud his neighbour.
15. According to the number of years after the Jubilee, you shall purchase from your fellow Jew; according to the number of years of crops, he shall sell to you.	15. Sons of Israel, My people, if you sell a field or a vineyard, according to the sum of the number of years after the Jubilee you will buy of your neighbour; according to the number of years for gathering the produce they will sell it to you;
16. The more [the remaining] years, you shall increase its purchase [price], and the fewer the [remaining] years, you shall decrease its purchase [price], because he is selling you a number of crops.	16. according to the greatness of the amount of the years will the price be enlarged; and according to the smallness of the amount of the years the price will be diminished, because he sells to you the amount of the fruitage to be ingathered.
17. And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow Jew, and you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord, your God.	17. And you will not overreach one man his neighbour by hard words, but fear your God: I am the LORD your God.
18. You shall perform My statutes, keep My ordinances and perform them then you will live on the land securely.	18. And you will perform My statutes, and observe the order of My judgments and do them, that you may dwell upon the land securely.
19. And the land will then yield its fruit and you will eat to satiety, and live upon it securely.	19. And the land will yield her produce, and you will eat and be satisfied, and dwell upon the land in security.
20. And if you should say, "What will we eat in the seventh year? We will not sow, and we will not gather in our produce!"	20. But if you say, What will we eat in the seventh year; behold, we sow not, nor ingather even the after crop of our provision?
21. [Know then, that] I will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will yield produce for three years.	21. I will command My blessing upon you from My treasures of goodness, which are in the heaven of My Presence, in the sixth year, and it will create produce that will suffice for three years.
22. And you will sow in the eighth year, while [still] eating from the old crops until the ninth year; until the arrival of its crop, you will eat the old [crop].	22. But you will sow in the eighth year, and eat of the old produce of the sixth year until the ninth year; until the time of the incoming of the new produce, will you eat of the old.
23. The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land belongs to Me, for you are strangers and [temporary] residents with Me.	23. And the land of Israel will not be sold absolutely, for the land is Mine; for you are sojourners and guests with Me.
24. Therefore, throughout the land of your possession, you shall give redemption for the land.	24. And in all the land of your possession you will let the ground have redemption.
25. If your brother becomes destitute and sells some of his inherited property, his redeemer who is related to him shall come forth and redeem his brother's sale.	25. And if your brother has become poor and has sold his possession, his redeemer who is near of kin to him may come and redeem the sale of his brother.
26. And if a man does not have a redeemer, but he gains enough means to afford its redemption,	26. But if a man have no one who is qualified to redeem that which he has sold, and it befall to his own hand to find the price of its redemption,
27. he shall calculate the years for which the land has been sold, and return the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, and [then] he may return to his inheritance.	27. then let him count the sum of the years of its sale, and give the amount to the man who bought it, and return to his possession.
28. But if he cannot afford enough to repay him, his sale shall remain in the possession of the one who has purchased it, until the Jubilee year. And then, in the Jubilee year, it shall go out and revert to his inheritance.	28. But if his hand meet not with the price that he should give him, then the property sold will (remain) in the hand of him who bought it until the year of Jubilee, and will then go out without money, and he will return to his possession.
29. And when a man sells a residential house in a walled city, its redemption may take place until the completion of the year of its sale. Its [period of] redemption shall be a full year.	29. And if a man sell a dwelling-house, in a town surrounded by a wall, it may have redemption until the completing of the year from its sale: from time to time will be its redemption.
30. But if it is not redeemed by the end of a complete year, then that house which is in the city that has a wall, shall remain permanently [the property] of the one who purchased it throughout his generations. It will not leave [his possession] in the Jubilee.	30. But if it be not redeemed at the completing of the full year, the house that is in a walled town will be confirmed absolutely to him who bought it, unto his generations: it will not go out at the Jubilee.
31. But houses in open cities, which do not have a wall surrounding them, are to be considered as the field of the land. It may have redemption and shall leave [the purchaser's possession] in the Jubilee.	31. But houses in villages which have no walls round about them, are to be accounted as tents which are spread upon the fields of the earth; they may be redeemed, and they will go out at the Jubilee.
32. And, [regarding] the cities of the Levites, the houses of their inherited cities shall forever have a [right of] redemption for the Levites.	32. But the cities of the Levites, the houses of the cities of their possession may be always redeemable by the Levites.
33. And if one purchases from the Levites, whether a house or an inherited city, will leave [the possession of the purchaser] in the Jubilee, because the houses of the cities of the Levites, are their inherited property amidst the children of Israel.	33. And when one has purchased of the Levites the house that was sold in the cities of their possession, it will go out at the Jubilee; for the houses of the Levites are their inheritance among the children of Israel.
34. And a field in the open areas of their cities cannot be sold, because it is their eternal inheritance.	34. But a field in the suburbs of their cities will not be sold for it is an everlasting possession for them.

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.

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol 12: Holiness

By: Rabbi Yitzchaq Magriso

Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1990)

Vol. 12 – “Holiness,” pp. 230-265.

Rashi Commentary for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 24:1 - 25:34

2 Command the children of Israel [and they shall take to you pure olive oil... to kindle the lamps continually] This is the passage of the commandment of the lamps, and the passage [that begins with] “And you will command...” (Exod. 27:20-21) was stated only in context of describing the construction of the Mishkan, i.e., stating the necessity of the menorah. And the meaning [of that passage] is: “You will eventually command the children of Israel regarding this” [namely, here in our passage].

pure olive oil Three [grades of] oil are extracted from an olive: The first [drop of oil that the olive issues after crushing] is called זָךְ , “pure,” [and is used for the menorah; the second and third oils that result from grinding are used for the meal offerings]. These [grades of oil] are enumerated in Tractate Men. (86a) and in Torath Kohanim (24:210).

continually Heb. תָּמִיד . From [one] night to the next [i.e., even though it was to burn only until the morning—see verse 3—it was continual (תָּמִיד) in that it was to be lit each night]. This is similar to the continual burnt offering (עוֹלַת תָּמִיד) which was only from day to day, [as in Num. 28:18].

3 the dividing curtain of the testimony which was situated in front of the ark, which was called “the Testimony (הָעֵדֻת) .” And our Rabbis expounded [that the הָעֵדֻת alludes to] the western lamp, which was a “testimony (עֵדֻת) ” to all the creatures on earth that the Shekhinah rested upon Israel, for [the Kohen Gadol] would place into it the same amount of oil he placed into the other lamps, and from it he would begin [the kindling] and with it he would finish [the cleaning, since it continued to burn miraculously until the following evening].-[Rashi Shab. 22b; Nachalath Ya’akov]

Aaron shall set it up from evening to morning He shall set it up in such a way that it has enough [oil] for it to burn for the entire night. And our Sages estimated [this amount to be] half a log for each lamp. This [amount] is sufficient even for the [long, winter] nights of the Teveth season. And this measure became fixed for them [i.e., for the lights even during the shorter, summer nights].-[Mizrachi ; Men. 89a]

4 pure menorah [The menorah] which was [made of] pure gold. Another explanation [for “Upon the pure menorah”] is: [He shall set up the lamps] upon the purity (טָהֳרָהּ) of the menorah, because [before kindling] he would first clean it up (מְטַהֵר) and clear it of ashes [from the previous night’s burning].-[See Torath Kohanim 24:218]

6 six in each stack - שֵׁשׁ הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת , lit. six the stack, six loaves in one stack.

upon the pure table Heb. הַשֻׁלְחָן הַטָהֽר , [the table] of pure gold. Another explanation: upon the top surface (טָהָר) of the table [as in Arabic]. The loaves of bread were thin and thus fragile. Therefore, in order to prevent them from cracking when stacked upon each other, separating racks supported each loaf—except for the very bottom loaf in each stack, which must rest directly “upon the surface of the table (עַל הַשֻׁלְחָן הַטָהֽר) ,” without any rack intervening between the loaf and the table surface] so that the racks should not [intervene and] raise the [bottom loaf of] bread [in each stack] from [direct contact with] the surface of the table.-[Torath Kohanim 24:225]

7 And you shall place...alongside each stack Heb. וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת , [lit., “And you shall place (pure frankincense) upon the stack.” Here, the meaning is: And you shall place pure frankincense] alongside each of the two stacks (Sifthei Chachamim, see also, Men. 62a, and 96a, Chok vol. 5, pg. 177, for the opinion of Abba Shaul and Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi). There were two bowls of frankincense, each bowl containing a fist-full (מְלֹא קֽמֶץ) . -[See Rashi on Lev. 2:2; Torath Kohanim 24:228]

shall be [I.e.,] this frankincense [shall be].

a reminder for the bread Because nothing of the bread [itself] was offered to the most High [on the altar]. Rather, the frankincense was burned when they removed it on every Sabbath. Thus, the frankincense was a “reminder” for the bread, by which it is “remembered” above, like the fist-full [of flour and oil] which is the reminder for the meal offering. - [see Lev. 2:13]

9 shall belong Heb. וְהָיְתָה . This meal offering ( מִנְחָה , which is feminine) [shall belong]. For [although, strictly speaking, the bread is not the usual “meal offering (מִנְחָה) ,” it is included in that category, because] any offering that comes from grain falls under the category of a meal offering.

and they shall eat it Heb. וַאֲכָלֻהוּ , [in the masculine gender] referring to the bread (לֶחֶם) , which is in the masculine gender.

10 the son of an Israelite woman...went out From where did he go out? Rabbi Levi says: “He went out of his world” [i.e., he forfeited his share in the World to Come. See Be’er Basadeh, Maskil L’David]. Rabbi Berechiah says: “He went out of the above passage.” He mocked and said, “[Scripture says,] ‘Each... Sabbath day, he shall set it up.’ But surely it is the practice of kings to eat warm [fresh] bread every day! Perhaps cold bread, nine days old?” [he said] in astonishment. [In fact, the bread remained miraculously warm and fresh until it was removed the following week (Chag. 26b).] The Baraitha states: He “went out” of Moses’ tribunal [with a] guilty [verdict. How so?] He had come to pitch his tent within the encampment of the tribe of Dan. So [this tribe] said to him, “What right do you have to be here?” Said he, “I am of the descendants of Dan,” [claiming lineage through his mother, who was from the tribe of Dan (see verse 11)]. They said to him, “[But Scripture states (Num. 2:2): ‘The children of Israel shall encamp] each man by his grouping according to the insignias of his father’s household,’” [thereby refuting his maternal claim]. He entered Moses’ tribunal [where his case was tried], and came out guilty. Then, he arose and blasphemed.-[Vayikra Rabbah 32:3]

the son of an Egyptian man the Egyptian whom Moses had slain, [uttering the Divine Name (see Rashi on Exod. 2:14). When the man heard this, he arose and began blaspheming against the Divine Name.]-[Sifthei Chachamim ; Vayikra Rabbah 32:4]

among the children of Israel [This] teaches [us] that he converted. [Although he was halachically a Jew, since he was born to a Jewish mother, “he converted” here means that he immersed and was circumcised at Mount Sinai “among the children of Israel,” i.e., together with all the children of Israel.]-[Ramban ; Torath Kohanim 24:235]

They...quarreled in the camp regarding the encampment. [See Rashi on the beginning of this verse].- [Torath Kohanim 24:235).

an Israelite man This was his opponent, the one who prevented him from pitching his tent [in the encampment of Dan].-[Torath Kohanim 24:235]

11 blasphemously pronounced Heb. וַיִּקּֽב . As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וּפָרֵישׁ , "and he pronounced"—he pronounced the ineffable Divine Name and cursed. This [Name that must not be pronounced] was the explicit [four-letter] Divine Name that this man had heard from [the revelation at Mount] Sinai.-[Torath Kohanim 24:235]

His mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri [Why is her name mentioned? This teaches us] the praise of Israel, for Scripture publicizes this one, effectively telling us that she alone [among all the women of Israel] was [involved in an] illicit [relation (Vayikra Rabbah 32:5), albeit unwitting on her part. (See Rashi on Exod. 2:11.) Nevertheless, no other Israelite woman had even unwitting illicit relations].-[Mizrachi]

Shelomith Heb. שְׁלוֹמִית . [Her name denotes that] she was a chatterbox, [always going about saying] “Peace (שָׁלוֹם) be with you! Peace be with you! Peace be with you [men]!” (Vayikra Rabbah 32:5). [She would] chatter about with words, greeting everyone.

the daughter of Dibri [This denotes that] she was very talkative, talking (מְדַבֶּרֶת) with every person. That is why she fell into sin.

of the tribe of Dan [This] tells us that a wicked person brings disgrace to himself, disgrace to his father, and disgrace to his [entire] tribe. Likewise, [the converse is true regarding a righteous man,] “Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan” (Exod. 35:34), [for Oholiab brought about] praise to himself, praise to his father, and praise to his [entire] tribe.-[Torath Kohanim 24:237]

12 They placed him [Since Scripture does not say, “they placed ( וַיִּשִׂימוּ or וַיִּתְּנוּ ) him in the guardhouse,” but rather, “they left him (וַַיַּנִּיחֻהוּ) in the guardhouse,” which means that they left him] alone, and they did not leave the one who gathered wood [on the Sabbath] with him (see Num. 15:32- 36), for these two [episodes, namely, of the wood gatherer and the blasphemer,] occurred at the same time. Now, they knew that the wood gatherer was liable to death, as is stated “those who profane it shall be put to death.” (Exod. 31:14) The mode of death, however, had not yet been specified to them [by God]. Thus it says (Num. 15:34), "for it had not [yet] been specified what should be done to him"—while in the case of the blasphemer [here], Scripture says לִפְרשׁ לָהֶם , [lit., “to specify for them,” namely to specify his sentence], for they did not know whether or not he was liable to the death penalty [at all, and if he would be placed together with the wood gatherer, it might have caused him unnecessary fear, since he could assume thereby that he was on death row. Therefore, at that point he had to be kept separately].-[Be’er Basadeh, Torath Kohanim 24:237]

14 who heard These were the witnesses. - [Torath Kohanim 24:239]

all [who heard] [The word “all” comes] to include the judges.-[Torath Kohanim 24: 237]

[shall lean] their hands [on his head] They say to him: “Your blood is on your own head! We are not to be punished for your death, for you brought this upon yourself!”-[Torath Kohanim 24:239]

And the entire community [shall stone him] [I.e., he is to be stoned by the witnesses] in the presence of the entire community (Torath Kohanim 24:240). From here [we learn] that an agent of a person is considered as [the person] himself, [for only the witnesses are to stone him, but since they are acting as agents of the entire community, Scripture considers it as if the entire community is stoning him].

15 [Any man...who blasphemes his God] shall bear his sin [He shall be punished] by excision, if there was no warning -[Torath Kohanim 24:243].

16 And one who blasphemously pronounces the Name [This teaches us that] one is not liable [to the death penalty] unless he pronounces the [four-letter Divine] Name. However, one who curses using an ancillary Name [for God, rather than the explicit, four-letter Name], is not [liable to the death penalty].-[Torath Kohanim 24:243]

And one who blasphemously pronounces Heb. וְנֽקֵב . [This term] denotes cursing, as in, “What can I curse (אֶקּֽב) ...?” (Num. 23:8). -[Sanh. 56a]

17 And if a man strikes down [any human being] Since Scripture states, “One who strikes a man so that he dies [shall surely be put to death]” (Exod. 21:12), I know only that [the death penalty applies to] one who kills a “man.” How do I know [that it applies also to one who kills] a woman or a minor? Therefore, Scripture says, “[If a man strikes down] any human being.”-[Torath Kohanim 24:245]

20 so shall be done to him Heb. כֵּן יִנָּתֵן בּוֹ . Our Rabbis explained that this does not mean the actual infliction of a wound, but payment of money. [And how is an injury estimated? The victim] is evaluated as a slave [if he would not have had the injury, and how much with the injury, and the difference is the compensation]. This is why Scripture uses the expression נְתִינָה , “giving,” [thereby alluding to] something that is “handed over (הַנָתוּן) ” from hand to hand.-[B.K. 84a]

21 And one who injures an animal shall pay for it [Verse 18] above is speaking of one who kills an animal, whereas here it is speaking of one who inflicts an injury upon it.

And one who strikes a person shall be put to death even if he did not kill him, but just inflicted an injury upon him. For the term נֶפֶשׁ is not used here. Scripture is speaking here of someone who strikes his father or his mother. And Scripture places this case in juxtaposition to the case of someone who strikes an animal [in order to teach us that]: just as if someone strikes an animal [he is liable only if] it is alive, so is one who strikes his father [or mother liable only if] they are alive. This comes to exclude the case of one who strikes [his father or mother] after [their] death. [Why is this case excluded here?] Since we find that one who curses his [father or mother] after [their] death is liable [to the death penalty—see Rashi on Lev. 20:9 Scripture finds it necessary here to teach us that one who strikes [his parent after death] is exempt. And [this juxtaposition also teaches us that] just as in the case of [one who strikes] an animal, [he is liable only if he inflicted an] injury, but if there was no injury, there is no compensation—likewise, one who strikes his father is not liable [to the death penalty] unless he inflicts an injury upon him.-[Torath Kohanim 24:250]

22 I am the Lord your God the God of all of you. Just as I attach My Name uniquely upon you [native Jewish people], so do I attach it uniquely upon the converts [to Judaism].

23 and the children of Israel did the whole procedure of stoning, described elsewhere [in Scripture]—namely, “pushing” [him off a two-story building—see Rashi on Exod. 19:13 and Sanh. 45a] the actual “stoning” and “hanging” [him afterwards on a pole, taking him down before nightfall and burying him then—see Deut. 21:22-23 and Rashi there].-[Torath Kohanim 24:252]

Chapter 25

1 on Mount Sinai What [special relevance] does the subject of Shemittah [the “release” of fields in the seventh year] have with Mount Sinai? Were not all the commandments stated from Sinai? However, [this teaches us that] just as with Shemittah, its general principles and its finer details were all stated from Sinai, likewise, all of them were stated—their general principles [together with] their finer details—from Sinai. This is what is taught in Torath Kohanim (25:1). [And why is Shemittah used as the example to prove this rule, especially since the very fine details are not even specified here (Sefer Hazikkaron)?] It appears to me that its explanation is as follows: [At the plains of Moab, Moses reiterated the majority of the laws of the Torah to the Israelites before their entry into the land of Israel, this reiteration comprising most of the Book of Deuteronomy. Now,] since we do not find the laws of Shemittah ["release"] of land reiterated on the plains of Moab in Deuteronomy, we learn that its general principles, finer details, and explanations were all stated at Sinai. Scripture states this [phrase] here to teach us that [just as in the case of Shemittah,] every statement [i.e., every commandment] that was conveyed to Moses came from Sinai, [including] their general principles and finer details [and that the commandments delineated in Deuteronomy were merely] repeated and reviewed on the plains of Moab [not originally given there].

2 a Sabbath to the Lord For the sake of the Lord, just as is stated of the Sabbath of Creation (see Exod. 20:10) [i.e., just as every seventh day is a holy Sabbath day, acclaiming that God Himself rested on the seventh day and thus acclaiming that God is the Supreme Creator of all existence, likewise, man must rest from working the land on the seventh year, for the sake of God, not for the sake of the land, so that it should gain fertility by lying fallow for a year].-[Sifthei Chachamim ; Torath Kohanim 25:7]

4 the land shall have [a complete rest] for fields and vineyards [but you may dig holes in your land].-[Sifthei Chachamim]

nor shall you prune Heb. לֹא תִזְמֽר . [This refers to the procedure in which] they cut off the [excessive] vine- branches (זְמוֹרוֹת) [and this expression] is rendered [by Onkelos] as לָא תִכְסָח , you shall not cut off, and similar to it is “as thorns cut down (כְּסוּחִים) [that are burned in fire]” (Isa. 33:12), and "it is burned with fire, it is cut (כְּסוּחָה) down.

5 the aftergrowth of your harvest although you did not sow it, but it grew by itself from seeds that [inadvertently] had dropped on [the ground] at the time of harvesting. This is called סְפִיחַ .

You shall not reap to keep it like a regular harvest, but it must be rendered ownerless, [and available] for everyone [to take at will].-[Be’er Basadeh]

the grapes you had set aside [for yourself] [i.e., those grapes] that you set aside (הִנְזַרְתָּ) and kept people away from them and did not declare them ownerless.

you shall not pick Those, you shall not pick, but [you may pick] from crops declared ownerless.-[Torath Kohanim 25:8]

6 And [the produce of] the Sabbath of the land, shall be [yours to eat] Although I have prohibited the produce [of the Shemittah year] to you, I did not prohibit you to eat it or to derive benefit from it, only that you should not treat it as if you were its owner. Rather, everyone is deemed equal [regarding the use of the Shemittah year’s produce]—you, [your slaves,] and your hired worker and resident.

And the produce of the Sabbath of the land... yours to eat - שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ . You may eat from what you treated as ownerless (שָׁבוּת) , [see Sifthei Chachamim], but from that [produce] which is stored away, you shall not eat.-[Torath Kohanim 25:10]

for you, for your male and female slaves Since Scripture says [regarding Shemittah], “and the poor of your people shall eat [it]” (Exod. 23:11), one might think that it [the produce of the Shemittah year] is prohibited to be eaten by wealthy people. Scripture, therefore, says here, "for you, for your male and female slaves,"—we see that the [wealthy] owners and the male and female slaves are included here [to permit them also to eat of the Shemittah year produce].-[Torath Kohanim 25:12 and see Sefer Hazikkaron]

and for your hired worker and resident [who live with you] Even non-Jews.-[Torath Kohanim 25:14] [Hired worker is one hired by the day. Resident is one hired by the year (Bechor Shor).

7 by your domestic animals and by the beasts But if a beast may eat [Shemittah produce], how much more so are domestic animals [allowed to eat it], since you are obliged to feed them! So why does Scripture mention "by your domestic animals"? [The answer is that Scripture] compares the domestic animal to the beast. As long as beasts [have a particular food available for them to] eat in the field, you may feed your domestic animals from your house. However, once that [particular food] has been consumed by the beasts in the field, you must remove what you had [stored] in your house for your domestic animals [and make that food freely available to everyone].-[Torath Kohanim 25:15]

8 sabbatical years Heb. שַׁבְּתֽת שָׁנִים , sabbatical years. Now, [since our verse therefore tells us to count “seven sabbatical years,”] one might think that we should observe seven consecutive sabbatical years, and then make a Jubilee year after them. Scripture, therefore, continues here, “seven years seven times,” thus showing us that every Shemittah year occurs in its own time [namely, every seventh year].-[Torath Kohanim 25:13]

And the days of these seven [sabbatical years will amount to forty-nine years] [But is it not already clear that seven years seven times equals forty-nine? However, this] comes to tell us that even though you have not observed the Shemittah years [throughout that period], nevertheless, make a Jubilee at the end of forty-nine years.-[Torath Kohanim 25:14] [This is a Midrashic explanation, linking the end of our verse with the next, to read, “And the days of these seven sabbatical years will amount to forty-nine years for you (and) Then...you shall proclaim with shofar blasts.”] The simple meaning of our verse is, however, that the calculation of the years of the Shemittah cycles will amount to the number forty-nine.

9 You shall proclaim Heb. וַהַעֲבַרְתָּ , [lit., “you shall pass” something from one place to another. But here, this term] stems from [the similar expression in the verse], “and they proclaimed (וַיַּעֲבִירוּ קוֹל) throughout the camp” (Exod. 36:6), an expression of proclamation.-[R.H. 34a]

[On the tenth of the month,] on the Day of Atonement But since it says, “on the Day of Atonement,” do I not already know that this occurs "on the tenth of the month"? So why does Scripture need to state, "on the tenth of the month"? However, [it does so,] in order to teach you the following: [The obligation] to sound the shofar on the tenth of the month [i.e., on the Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year] overrides the [prohibition of sounding the shofar on the] Sabbath “throughout your entire land,” whereas [the obligation] to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah does not override the [prohibition of sounding the shofar on] Sabbath “throughout your entire land,” except in the court of law [where this prohibition does not apply (see Ramban on our verse)].-[Torath Kohanim 25:16]

10 And you shall sanctify [the fiftieth year] [How?] At its commencement, [this Jubilee year] is sanctified in the court, [at which time] they declare: “This year is holy!”

and proclaim freedom for slaves, whether a נִרְצָע [a Jewish slave who chose to remain with his master even after his being permitted to go free at the end of six years and who therefore had to have his ear bored (see Exod. 21:16) or a slave] for whom his six-year period since having been sold has not yet elapsed. Said Rabbi Judah: What does this term דְּרוֹר mean? As one who dwells (כִּמְדַייֵר) in a dwelling (בֵּי דַייְרָא) etc., who dwells wherever he wishes, and is not under the domain of others [thus, the term דְּרוֹר denotes “freedom”].-[Torath Kohanim 25:18, R.H. 9b and see Rashi there]

It shall be a Jubilee This year is distinguished from all other years, for only it has a special name. And what is that name? It is called יוֹבֵל [meaning “ram’s horn” (see Rashi on Exod. 19:13)], because of the shofar that is sounded [upon its commencement].

and you shall return, each man to his property that the fields revert to their owners. [This verse does not mean that the owner must return to his field, but that the ownership of the field returns to the one who had sold it (Mesiach Illemim )].

and you shall return, each man to his family [This clause comes] to include the “bored one.” (See second Rashi on this verse.) -[Kid. 15a]

11 This fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee for you What does this come to teach us?" Since Scripture says (preceding verse),"And you shall sanctify [the fiftieth year," one might think that just as, at the beginning of the year, it gains sanctity progressively, so should its sanctity extend after the year, as it is with other instances of sanctification of holy times, e.g., Sabbath or a holy Festival, with which some ordinary time is added on to the holy time, here, too, some of the year following the Jubilee must be added on to it. Scripture, therefore, says, “This fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee for you” — only the fiftieth year, with no extensions. The above] is taught in Tractate R.H. (8b) and Torath Kohanim (25:23).

its [grapes that] you had set aside Heb. נְזִרֶיהָ , those grapes stored away, but you may harvest those that have been rendered ownerless. [For] just as with Shemittah [the term נְזִירֶךָ ] is stated [specifically referring to grapes (see Rashi verse 5 above)], so with Jubilee, [this term נְזִרֶיהָ ] is stated [and refers specifically to grapes, for Shemittah and Jubilee are equal in all matters. (Mesiach Illemim, Devek Tov, Sifthei Chachamim) See also Be’er Basadeh, Maskil L’David]. Thus, two holy years are found right next to each other—the forty-ninth year [in each cycle] is Shemittah and the fiftieth year is Jubilee.

12 It shall be holy for you [The produce of Jubilee] attaches its holiness onto the money [it is sold for] like items dedicated to the Holy Temple. However, one might think that [just like items dedicated to the Holy Temple, this produce] leaves [its holy status,] to become unholy—Scripture, therefore, says here “It shall be,” [as if to say,] they shall remain as they were.-[Suk. 40b]

You shall eat [its produce] from the field You shall [gauge your] eating in the house, by way of the field. [That is to say,] once [a particular food] has been consumed by the beasts in the field, you must remove [what you had stored of that food] from your house [and make it freely available to all]. (See Rashi on verse 7 above; Torath Kohanim 25: 26). Just as was stated regarding Shemittah, so it is stated regarding the Jubilee.

13 you shall return, each man to his property But has this not already been stated, [when Scripture says], “ and you shall return, each man to his property” (verse 10 above)? However, [this clause is stated here,] to include one who sold his field, and his son arose and redeemed it, that it reverts to his father in the Jubilee.-[Torath Kohanim 25:28]

14 And when you make a sale to your fellow-Jew or make a purchase from your fellow-Jew Its simple meaning is obvious. The verse can also be expounded [to teach us the following lesson]: How do we know that when you wish to sell, you should sell to your fellow-Jew? For Scripture says, “ וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר לַעֲמִיתֶךָ ,” i.e., “And when you make a sale—sell to your fellow-Jew!” And how do we know that if you come to buy, you should buy from your fellow-Jew? For Scripture continues here: “ אוֹ קָנֽה מִיַּד עֲמִתֶיךָ ,” i.e., “or when you buy—buy from your fellow-Jew!”- [Torath Kohanim 25:29]

you shall not wrong This means wronging through money (see verse 17 below and Lev. 19:33). -[Torath Kohanim 25: 31]

15 According to the number of years after the Jubilee, you shall purchase The following is its simple meaning, to explain the verse according to its context: [The text] comes to warn against wronging [by overcharging, thereby linking verses 14–16 together (Mizrachi)], [namely, that] when you sell or purchase land, you should be aware of how many years remain until the [next] Jubilee, and according to [that number of] years and the crops that it is fit to yield, the seller should sell and the buyer should buy. For indeed, he will eventually return it to him in the Jubilee year. Thus, if there are [only] a few years [left until the next Jubilee year], and this one sells it for a high price, the purchaser has been wronged. And if there are many years [left until the next Jubilee year], and he will eat many crops from it [until Jubilee—if the purchaser had purchased the land for a low price], the seller has been wronged. Therefore, it must be purchased according to the time [left until the next Jubilee]. And this is [the meaning of] what it says, בְּמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֽת יִמְכָּר־לָךְ , “according to the number of years of crops, he shall sell to you.” "According to the number of years of crop yields that it will remain in the hands of the purchaser, you shall sell it to him." Now, [the word שְׁנֵי can mean “years of” or can mean “two.” Thus,] our Rabbis have expounded from here (see end of this Rashi for clarification), that one who sells his field is not permitted to redeem it in less than two years, that it must remain in the purchaser’s possession for exactly two years to the day, even if there are three crops during those two years, for example, if he sold it to him with crop standing in it [and then the ensuing years brought two more yields of produce. In that case, the seller cannot redeem after one year, claiming that two years’ crops have been issued,] for the word שְׁנֵי [which could mean two, i.e., two yields] does not leave its simple meaning [that it means years,] referring to [the number of years that elapse and] specifically, years that elapse with a yield of crop, but not years of blight. [Now, if the word שְׁנֵי means “years” and not two, then how do our Rabbis expound it to mean "two years"?] Because [the term שְׁנֵי is plural, and] the minimum quantity implied by שָׁנִים is two.-[Arachin 29b; Mizrachi]

16 you shall increase its purchase You should sell it at a high price.

you shall decrease its purchase You should sell it for less money [than in the case in which many years are left until the Jubilee].-[Mizrachi].

17 And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow-Jew Here, [as opposed to the same expression in verse 14 above (see Rashi there),] Scripture is warning against wronging verbally, namely, that one must not provoke his fellow [Jew], nor may one offer advice to him that is unsound for him but according to the mode of life or the benefit of the advisor. And if you say, "Who can tell whether I had evil intentions [when I talked to my fellow in an insulting manner? Perhaps I did so in order to make him feel remorseful and repent his ways]." (see Be’er Basadeh). Therefore, it says, "and you shall fear your God."—The One Who knows all thoughts—He knows. Concerning anything held in the heart and known only to the one who bears this thought in his mind, it says “and you shall fear your God!”-[B.M. 58b]

18 Then you will live on the land securely because it is through the transgression of [the laws of] Shemittah that the Israelites are exiled [from their land], as the verse says, “Then, the land will appease its Sabbaths. [All the days of desolation while you are in the land of your enemies -] the land will rest and appease its Sabbaths” (Lev. 26:34). And the seventy years of the Babylonian exile [when the land remained forcibly at rest], corresponded to the seventy years of Shemittah not observed by Israel, [and thus came to rectify and “appease” them]. [see Rashi Lev. 26:25 where the calculation is explained; Shab. 33a; and see II Chron. 36:21]

19 And the land will then yield [its fruit...and you will...] live upon it securely i.e., you will have no worry about a year of drought.

and you will eat to satiety There will be a blessing in it even inside your innards.

20 and will not gather in to the house [for storage (Sefer Hazikkaron)].

our produce for example, wine and fruit of the trees and after growth that grew spontaneously [and that, therefore, was not sown by you].-[Pes. 51b]

21 for three years for part of the sixth year from Nissan [when the crop is reaped] until Rosh Hashanah, for the [entire] seventh [Shemittah] year, and for the eighth [year, namely,] for they will sow [a new crop] in Marcheshvan of the eighth year and reap [this new crop] in Nissan [while still eating of the sixth year’s crop].

22 until the ninth year Until the Festival of Succoth in the ninth year, the time the crop of the eighth year is brought into the house, for throughout the summer season, it was kept in granaries in the field. In Tishrei—that is the time the crop is gathered into the house. Now, there were occasions when it would need to yield for four years, namely: in the sixth year preceding the seventh Shemittah, when they would refrain from doing work on the land for two consecutive years, the seventh year and the Jubilee year. Our verse, however, refers to all the other Shemittah years [i.e., the first through sixth cycles of Shemittah].-[see Ned. 61a]

23 The land shall not be sold [permanently] [Although this is already understood from the earlier verses in our passage (10 and 13), it is stated here] to impose a negative commandment regarding the reversion of fields to their [original] owners in Jubilee, that the purchaser must not seize [the land] forcibly [in an effort to keep it as a “permanent” sale].

permanently - לִצְמִתֻת , irreversibly. [Thus, the לֹא תִמָּכֵר לִצְמִתֻת , has the meaning of] a permanent, irreversible sale.

for the land belongs to Me [Says God:] Do not be selfish about the land [hesitating to return it to its rightful owner at Jubilee], because the land does not belong to you. -[Torath Kohanim 25:39]

24 throughout the land of your possession [The seemingly superfluous word here, “throughout,”] comes to include [the right of relatives to redeem] houses [of walled cities (Sifthei Chachamim, Rashi on Kid. 21a)] and a Hebrew slave. This matter is explained in the first chapter of Tractate Kid. (21a). And according to its simple meaning, [this] is connected to the passage that follows, that one who sells his property is permitted to redeem it after two years—either he or his relative, and that the purchaser cannot impede [this redemption].

25 If your brother becomes destitute and sells [This] teaches [us] that a person may not sell his field except when under the pressure of poverty. -[Torath Kohanim 25:41]

some of his inherited property But not all of it. [Scripture] teaches [us] proper conduct, namely, that he should leave one field for himself.-[Torath Kohanim 25:41]

and redeem his brother’s sale and the purchaser cannot impede [the redemption].

26 And if a man does not have a redeemer But is there a man in Israel who has no [relative] to redeem [his sale]? However, [Scripture means] a redeemer who is [financially] able to redeem his sale.-[Kid. 21a]

27 he shall calculate the years of his sale [The original owner asks the purchaser:] “How many years were left until the [next] Jubilee?” [He answers:] “Such-and-such [a number of years].” [The owner continues:] “And how much did I sell it to you for?” [He answers:] “For such-and-such [an amount of money].” [Continues the original owner:] “You would have eventually had to return the field to me at Jubilee.” Hence, [rather than buying actual land,] in effect, you bought [from me] a number of produce yields, according to the total for every year [remaining until Jubilee]. Now, you have eaten from it for three or four years [or whatever the amount may be]. Therefore, subtract their value from the total [i.e., from the original sale price], and take the remainder [until Jubilee]." And this is the meaning of “and return the remainder” of the purchase price over the crops he had eaten, and he shall give it to the purchaser.

the man to whom he had sold [it] [i.e., “the man to whom he—] this seller who is coming to redeem it—[had sold it.” If the first purchaser had sold it to another person for a higher price, the original owner makes the above calculation only with the first purchaser to whom he sold the field and not with the subsequent purchaser].-[Arachin 30a; Mizrachi]

28 enough to repay him From here, [we learn] that he cannot redeem part [of a field but either all or nothing].-[Torath Kohanim 25:48, Arachin 30a, Kid. 20b; Sifthei Chachamim]

until the Jubilee year [i.e., until, but not including the Jubilee year (Torath Kohanim 25:50; Mizrachi), and hence the purchaser] must not at all enter the Jubilee year [while in possession of the field,] because the Jubilee year releases [the field from his possession] at its very onset.-[Arachin 28b and Rashi there]

29 a residential house in a walled city A house (בֵּית) within a city (עִיר) surrounded by a wall (חוֹמָה) since the days of Joshua the son of Nun.-[Sifthei Chachamim ; Torath Kohanim 25:53, Arachin 32a, b]

its redemption may take place [until the completion of the year of its sale] Since regarding a field, Scripture states that one may redeem it whenever one wishes after two years have elapsed [since the date of sale] and onwards [until Jubilee] and that within the first two years [following the sale] one may not redeem it, [Scripture found] it necessary to specify that in this case, the opposite applies, namely, that if one wishes to redeem it within the first year [following the sale], one may redeem it, while after that, one may not redeem it.

its [period of] redemption shall be [I.e., the redemption] of the house, [not the redemption of the sale or the redemption of the seller.] -[Mizrachi, Sefer Hazikkaron]

a full year Heb. יָמִים , [lit., “days,”]. The days of a full year, are called יָָמִים . Likewise, “Let the maiden stay with us a year (יָמִים) ” (Gen. 24:55).

30 then that house...shall remain permanently It shall leave the jurisdiction of the seller, and remain under the jurisdiction of the purchaser.

that has a wall Heb. אֲשֶׁר לֹא חֽמָה , [meaning “which has no wall”]. [However, Oral Tradition teaches us that] we read לוֹ , [meaning “to him” or “to it,” [hence, “a city that has a wall”]. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said: [The written version of this phrase namely, בָָּעִיר אֲשֶׁר לֹא חֽמָה teaches us that] even if [the city] does not (לֹא) have a wall now, since it had one before [from the days of Joshua, the laws of our passage still apply to it].-[Arachin 32a] [Since the word] עִיר is grammatically feminine, Scripture should have written [חֽמָה] [בָָּעִיר אֲשֶׁר] לָהּ , [ לָהּ being the feminine form of “to it”]. However, since לֹא had to be written inside [i.e., in the written text of the Torah, our Rabbis] set this word to be read according to the Oral Tradition as לוֹ , because they match [in pronunciation, unlike לָהּ ].

It shall not leave [his possession] in the Jubilee [What does this phrase teach us? It has already stated that the house becomes the permanent property of the purchaser.] Said Rabbi Safra: [Even] if the Jubilee year occurs within the first year [of the sale,] it shall not leave [his possession without redemption].-[Arachin 31b]

31 But houses in open cities Heb. הַחֲצֵרִים , [to be understood] as it is rendered by the Targum [Onkelos, namely]: פַצִיחַיָא , meaning open towns, without a wall. There are many [instances of this term] in the Book of Joshua, [for example in the verse] (13:28),"the cities and their open towns (וְחַצְרֵיהֶם) "; [likewise in the verse], “in their open cities (בְּחַצְרֵיהֶם) and in their walled cities” (Gen. 25:16).

[But houses in open cities...] are to be considered as the field of the land They are like fields, which may be redeemed until the Jubilee and leave [the possession of the purchaser, reverting] to the [original] owners in the Jubilee if they had not been redeemed [until then].

It may have redemption immediately, if one wishes [to redeem it]. And by virtue of this element, they have a greater advantage [to the original owner] than do fields, since fields may not be redeemed until two years have elapsed [since the sale (see Rashi on verse 15 above)].-[Arachin 33a]

and shall leave [the purchaser’s possession] in the Jubilee without payment [for regarding fields, which are required to remain with the purchaser for two years (see Rashi on verse 15 above), if the Jubilee occurs after only one year has elapsed from the sale, then the field reverts to the owner for the Jubilee year, but the purchaser takes it back for one more year afterwards (Arachin 29b). In the case of houses in open cities, however, even if the Jubilee occurs after only one year, the house reverts to the original owner, without any payment.] -[Sifthei Chachamim].

32 And [regarding] the cities of the Levites [namely,] the forty-eight cities that were given to the Levites (see Num. 35:7).

shall forever have a [right of] redemption [If a Levite] sells a field of one of their fields that were given to them in the two-thousand cubits surrounding the cities (see Num. 35:45), he may redeem it immediately, even before two years have elapsed [since the sale]. And if he sells a house in a walled city, he may always redeem it, and the house is not transferred permanently [to the purchaser] at the end of the [first] year [after the sale, as opposed to the case of a non-Levite owner].-[Arachin 33b]

33 And if one purchases from the Levites And if someone buys (יִגְאַל) a house or a city from them, it will leave in Jubilee, i.e., the sale of that house or city [will leave the possession of that purchaser], and will revert to the Levite who sold it. And it will not be transferred permanently [to the purchaser] like other houses in a walled city owned by an Israelite. Thus, this expression of גְּאֻלָּה [usually meaning “redemption”], here means “purchase.” Another explanation: [keeping the usual meaning of גְּאֻלָּה , namely, “redemption”]: Since it is said, “the Levites will forever have a [right of] redemption,” one might assume that Scripture is speaking only of a non-Levite who purchased a house in the Levitic cities [and that the Levite owner may always redeem this house], but if a Levite purchased from another Levite, it would be transferred permanently, Therefore, Scripture says here, "And if one redeems (יִגְאַל) from the Levites"—i.e., even when a Levite redeems from a Levite, [still the owner,] “will forever have a [right of] redemption.”-[Torath Kohanim 25:66]

shall leave [the possession of the purchaser] in the Jubilee [According to Rashi’s first explanation of וַאֲשֶׁר יִגְאַל מִן־הַלְוִיִּם , the verse continues to state that the house purchased by a non-Levite “will leave (the possession of the purchaser) in the Jubilee,” as above. However, according to the alternative explanation, where this first phrase וַאֲשֶׁר יִגְאַל מִן־הַלְוִיִּם independently teaches us about a Levite purchaser, the second phrase here, namely, “will leave (the possession of the purchaser) in the Jubilee ”] this is a separate commandment, namely, that if the Levite owner] did not redeem the house, it leaves [the possession of the purchaser] in Jubilee and does not transfer permanently [to the purchaser] at the end of a year, like the house of an Israelite.

because the houses of the cities of the Levites are their inherited property They did not have an inheritance of fields and vineyards, but cities to live in and their open areas (see Num. 35:18). Therefore, these [cities and their open areas,] are to be considered for them [as their inheritance] in place of fields. Consequently, they have the same redemption [rights] as do fields [of non-Levites and also, this property reverts to them in Jubilee (Sifthei Chachamim). All this,] so that their inheritance never be removed from them.

34 And a field in the open areas of their cities cannot be sold by the [Temple] treasurer. I.e., if a Levite consecrated his field and did not redeem it, and the treasurer sold it, in the Jubilee, the field does not leave [the possession of the purchaser] and ["revert"] to the kohanim, as it is said concerning [a field originally owned by] an Israelite, “and if he sold the field to another man—it may no longer be redeemed.” (Lev. 27:20). But a Levite may always redeem [his field]. - [Torath Kohanim 25:70]

Tehillim - Psalm 88:1-19

Rashi	Targum
1. A song with musical accompaniment of the sons of Korah, for the conductor, about the sick and afflicted one, a maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.	1. A song and a psalm composed by the sons of Korah, with a prayer; for praise; a good lesson composed by Heman the native.
2. O Lord, the God of my salvation! I cried by day; at night I was opposite You.	2. O LORD God my redemption, daily I have made complaint; in the night my prayer is before You.
3. May my prayer come before You; extend Your ear to my supplication.	3. May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my plea. ANOTHER TARGUM: Let my prayer for Your people, the house of Israel, come before You; and incline Your ear to my psalm that I have sung for Your glory.
4. For my soul is sated with troubles, and my life has reached the grave.	4. For my soul has had its fill of evils; and my life has arrived at Sheol.
5. I was counted with those who descend into the Pit; I was like a man without strength.	5. I am reckoned with those who go down to the prison-house; I have become like a son of man who has no strength.
6. I am considered among the dead who are free, as the slain who lie in the grave, whom You no longer remember and who were cut off by Your hand.	6. Like the wicked/Lawless who died and did not return, having been made free from strife; like those slain by the sword, lying in the grave, whom you no longer remember, since they have been separated from the face of Your presence.
7. You have put me into the lowest pit, into dark places, into depths.	7. You have placed me in exile, which is likened to the lower pit, among the oppressed in the depths.
8. Your wrath lies hard upon me, and [with] all Your waves You have afflicted [me] constantly.	8. Your fury rests on me, and all evil decrees have broken me; You have afflicted me forever.
9. You have estranged my friends from me; You have made me an abomination to them; [I am] imprisoned and cannot go out.	9. You have removed those who know me far from me; You have made me loathsome to them; enclosed in prison, and I may not go out.
10. My eye has failed because of affliction; I have called You every day, I have spread out my palms to You.	10. My eye has flowed with tears because of affliction; every day I have called to You, O LORD; I have spread my hands to You in prayer.
11. Will You perform a wonder for the dead? Will the shades rise and thank You forever?	11. Could it be that You would work miracles for the dead? Or will bodies that have decayed in dust arise and give thanks in Your presence forever?
12. Will Your kindness be told in the grave, Your faith in destruction?	12. Could it be that Your goodness will be talked of in the grave? Your truth in the place of perdition?
13. Will Your wonder be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?	13. Could it be that Your wonders will be known in the darkness of Gehenna? And Your generosity in the land of thirst and desolation?
14. As for me, O Lord, I have cried out to You, and in the morning my prayer comes before You.	14. But I have prayed in Your presence, O LORD; and in the morning my prayer will come before You.
15. Why, O Lord, do You abandon my soul, do You hide Your countenance from me?	15. Why, O LORD, have you forsaken my soul, why will You hide Your face from me, that I may not see illumination by your light?
16. I am poor, and close to sudden death; I have borne Your fear, it is well-founded.	16. I am afflicted and frail from childhood; I have borne the fear of You, loaded upon me.
17. Your fires of wrath have passed over me; Your terrors have cut me off.	17. Your anger has passed over me; Your terrors have destroyed me.
18. They surround me like water all the day; they encompass me together.	18. They have surrounded me like water all day; they have encompassed me together.
19. You have estranged from me lover and friend; my acquaintances are in a place of darkness.	19. You have removed friend and fellow far from me; as for those who know me, I am lowly in their mouth.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Psalm 88:1-19

1 about the sick and afflicted one Heb. על־מחלתלענות , concerning the one sick with love and afflicted, for she is afflicted with the pains of the exile.

of Heman the Ezrahite One of the musicians who played a musical instrument, and the sons of Korah established this psalm that Heman should recite it on the “duchan” [the platform].

of Heman the Ezrahite He was one of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, for his lineage is delineated in (I Chron. 2:6): “And the sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda [sic].” All five were great sages, as is said in reference to Solomon (I Kings 5: 11): “And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezraite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol,” and they established the Psalms, which were set down in the Book of Psalms. Therefore, they are called the sons of Mahol. So have I found in exact commentaries.

a maskil Wherever it says “maskil,” it was said through an interpreter. The prophet would set up an interpreter before him, and when he perceived a prophecy coming upon him, he would recite the prophecy to the interpreter, who would make it heard.

2 I cried by day; at night And also at night I am ready before You.

4 For my soul is sated with troubles He says this concerning the people of Israel.

5 without strength Heb. איל , as (above 22:20): “My strength (אילותי) , hasten to my assistance.”

6 among the dead, who are free I am among the dead, free from the world, and like the slain, who are free from the world.

and who were cut off by Your hand By Your blows, they were cut off from the world.

7 You have put me into the lowest pit That is the exile.

8 lies hard leans and hangs [sic] on me.

and [with] all Your waves You have afflicted [me] constantly Heb. משבריך , an expression of the waves of the sea. They are all the storms of Your wrath; with all of them have You constantly afflicted me.

9 You have made me an abomination to them The nations, in whose eyes I was esteemed now I am repugnant to them.

[I am] imprisoned Confined in a prison, and I cannot go out.

11 Will You perform a wonder for the dead? Do You perform a wonder and miracles for the wicked, who are called dead even in their lifetime?

Will the shades rise and thank You Heb. רפאים , lit. the weak. Will the nations that weakened their [Israel’s] hands from Your service rise and thank You? This is a wonder.

12 Will Your kindness be told in the grave if we die in the hands of our enemies, will we be able to recite Your praise in the grave?

16 and close to sudden death Heb. וגוע מנער , dying from the strangulation of sudden death, as (Exod. 14:27): “and the Lord strangled (וינער) .” Menachem (p. 123) defines וינער as an expression of beating, as (Isa. 33:15): “who shakes (נוער) his hands from taking hold of bribe”; (Isa. 52:2), “Shake yourself (התנערי) from the dust, arise”; (Isa. 1:31), “And the[ir] strength will become as tow (לנערת) ”; (Job 38: 13), “so that the wicked will be shaken (וינערו) from it”; (Neh. 5:13), “even thus may he be shaken out (נעור) and emptied.”

it is well-founded Heb. אפונה . Your fear is settled and based in my heart. אפוּנה is an expression of (Prov. 25:11): “a word spoken with proper basis (אפניו) ”; on its basis.

19 From my acquaintances, I am withdrawn Heb. מחשך . I am withdrawn and withheld from them.

Ashlamatah: Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4

Rashi	Targum
2. ¶ Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity.	2. Return, O Israel, to the fear of the LORD your God, for you have fallen because of your sin.
3. Take words with yourselves and return to the Lord. Say, "You shall forgive all iniquity and teach us [the] good [way], and let us render [for] bulls [the offering of] our lips.	3. Bring with you words of confession and return to the worship of the LORD. Say before Him, “It is near for You to forgive iniquities;” then we will be accepted as good. Let the words of our lips be accepted before You with favour like bullocks on Your altar.
4. Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses, nor will we say any longer, our gods, to the work of our hands, for in You, by Whom the orphan is granted mercy."	4. The kings of Assyria will not save us. We will not put our trust in horsemen, and no more will we say “Our god” to the works of our hands. For it was from before You that mercy was shown to our forefathers when they were like orphans in Egypt.
5. I will remedy their backsliding; I will love them freely, for My wrath has turned away from them.	5. I will accept them in their repentance, I will forgive their sins, I will have compassion on them when they freely repent, for My anger has turned away from them.
6. I will be like dew to Israel, they shall blossom like a rose, and it shall strike its roots like the Lebanon.	6. My Memra will be like dew to Israel; they will bloom like the lily, and they will dwell in their fortified land like the tree of Lebanon which puts forth its branches.
7. Its branches shall go forth, and its beauty shall be like the olive tree, and its fragrance like the Lebanon.	7. Sons and daughters will multiply, and their light will be like the light of the holy candelabrum, and their fragrance like the fragrance of incense.
8. Those who dwelt in its shade shall return; they shall revive [like] corn and blossom like the vine; its fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.	8. They will be gathered from among their exiles, they will dwell in the shade of the Anointed One (i.e. Messiah). The dead will be resurrected and goodness will increase in the land. The mention of their goodness will go in and not cease, like the memorial of the blast of trumpets made over the matured wine when it was poured in the Sanctuary.
9. Ephraim; What more do I need the images? I will answer him and I will look upon him: I am like a leafy cypress tree; from Me your fruit is found.	9. The House of Israel will say, “Why should we worship idols any more?” I, by My Memra will hear the prayer of Israel and have compassion on them. I by My Memra will make them like a beautiful cypress tree, because forgiveness for their waywardness is found before Me.
10. Who is wise and will understand these, discerning and will know them; for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them, and the rebellious shall stumble on them.{P}	10. Who is wise and will consider these things? Who is prudent and will take note of them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous/generous who walk in them will live in everlasting life through them, but the wicked/Lawless will be delivered to Gehinom because they have not walked in them.
1. ¶ The word of the Lord, which came to Joel son of Pethuel.	1. The Word of prophecy from before the LORD which was with Joel, son of Pethuel.
2. Hear this, you elders, and hearken, all you inhabitants of the land. Did this come about in your days or in the days of your forefathers?	2. Hear this, O elders; listen, all you inhabitants of the land! Has the like of this happened in your days or in the days of your fathers?
3. Tell your children about it, and your children to their children, and their children to another generation.	3. Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation.
4. What the shearing locust left over, the increasing locust devoured, and what the increasing locust left over the nibbling locust devoured, and what the nibbling locust left over the finishing locust devoured.	4. What the crawling locust has left, the locust swarm has eaten; what the locust swarm has left, the winged locust has eaten; and what the winged locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten.
5. Awaken, you drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you wine drinkers, concerning the strong wine, which has been cut off from your mouth.	5. Wake up you drunkards and weep, and wail, all you wine-bibbers, over the sweet wine, for it is withheld from your mouth.
6. For a nation has ascended upon my land, mighty and innumerable; its teeth are like the teeth of an old lion, and its molars are like those of a young lion.	6. For a nation is coming up against my land, mighty and beyond counting; their teeth are the teeth of a lion, and their fangs like a young lion’s.
7. He has laid my vine waste, and my fig tree into a disappointment; he has peeled it and cast it off, its branches have become white.	7. They have laid waste the fruitful of the vines of my people and have exhausted their fig-trees. They have stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches have become white.
8. Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.	8. O congregation of Israel, make a lamentation like a virgin girded with sackcloth to wail for the husband of her youth!
9. Meal offering and libation have been cut off from the house of the Lord; the priests, the ministers of the Lord, mourn.	9. Offerings and libations have ceased from the Sanctuary of the LORD; and the priets who minister in the Sanctuary of the LORD mourn.
10. The field has been plundered, the soil destroyed, for corn has been plundered, must has dried up, oil has been cut off.	10. The fields are ravaged, the earth is laid waste; for the corn is destroyed, the vines are dried up. the olives have fallen off.
11. Be ashamed, you plowmen; wail, you vinedressers, for wheat and for barley, for the harvest of the field is lost.	11. Be dismayed, you farmers, wail over wheat and barley, you vinedressers, for the harvest of the field is ruined.
12. The vines have dried up, and the fig trees have been cut off; the pomegranates, also the date palms and the apples, all the trees of the field have dried up, for joy has dried up from the sons of man. {S}	12. The vines have dried up, the fig-trees have withered; pomegranates, palms, and apples, all the trees of the field have dried up; for joy has ceased among men.
13. Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; wail, you ministers of the altar; come, lodge in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for the meal offering and the libations have been withheld from the house of your God.	13. Gird yourselves and lament, you priests, wail, you who minister at the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for offerings and libations are withheld from the Sanctuary of your God.
14. Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; assemble, you elders, all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.	14, Decree a fast, proclaim an assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land, and enter the Sanctuary of the LORD your God and pray before the LORD.
15. Woe is to the day, for the day of the Lord is near, and like plunder, it will come from the Almighty.	15. Woe before the day; for near is the day that will come from the LORD, and like devastation from the Almighty it will come.
16. Is not the food cut off from before our eyes? From the house of our God joy and jubilation?	16. Behold, before we see the corn it is ruined. Joy and gladness have ceased from the Sanctuary of our God.
17. Casks of wine have gathered mold under their bungs, the storehouses are laid desolate, garners are demolished, for the corn has dried out.	17. The bottles of' wine are decaying under their seals, the granaries are destroyed, the barns broken down, for the grain is ruined.
18. How the cattle sighs, herds of cattle are perplexed, for they have no pasture; also flocks of sheep are laid waste.	18. How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are bewildered because they have no pasture, even the flocks of sheep have perished.
19. To You, O Lord, I call, for a fire has consumed the dwellings of the wilderness, and a flame has burnt all the trees of the field.	19. Before you, O LORD, I pray, for an east wind mighty as a fire has destroyed the habitations of the wilderness, and flame has devoured all the trees of the field.
20. Also, the beasts of the field cry out to You for the springs of water have dried up, and fire has consumed the dwellings of the wilderness. {S}	20. Even the beasts of the field watch in hope before you, for the watercourses are dried up, and an east wind mighty as a fire has destroyed the habitations of the wilderness.
1. ¶ Sound a shophar in Zion and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; all the inhabitants of the land shall quake, for the day of the Lord has come, for it is near.	1. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day which will come from the LORD has arrived, for it is near.
2. A day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick darkness, like the dawn spread over the mountains; a numerous and mighty people, the like of which has never been, and after it there shall be no more until the years of the generations.	2. A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dense cloud. Like the light of dawn spread over the mountains, there is a people numerous and mighty! Their like has not been from of old, nor shall it be again after them through the years of distant generations.
3. Fire consumes before it and a flame blazes after it; before it, the land was like the Garden of Eden, and in its wake is a desert wasteland; neither does it have a remnant.	3. Before them fire devours and behind them the flame destroys; the land is like the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate waste; but there is no escape in it for the wicked/Lawless.
4. Like the appearance of horses is its appearance, and like horsemen, so do they run.	4. Their appearance is like that of horses; they gallop like steeds.
5. Like the sound of chariots on the mountaintops, they leap, like the sound of a flame of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty people arrayed for battle.	5. With the noise as of chariots they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of the flames of fire destroying among dry chaff, like a mighty people which knows the order of battle.
6. Peoples quake from before it; all faces gather blackness.	6. Before them the peoples tremble, all faces are covered with a coating of black like a pot.
7. Like mighty men they run, like men of war they scale the wall; each one goes in his ways, and they do not make their ways crooked.	7. Like warriors they run, like soldiers they scale the wall; they advance each in his own path, they do not delay in their paths.
8. And no one pushes his neighbor, each one goes in his path. They rest upon the swords and do not receive monetary gain.	8. They do not jostle each other, they proceed each in his own lane; where they are sent, they go (and) kill; they do not take money.
9. In the city they clatter; they run on the wall; they go up into the houses; through the windows they come like a thief.	9. In the city, armed men run upon the wall, they climb into the houses, they enter through the windows like thieves.
10. Before it the earth quakes, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon darken, and the stars withdraw their shining.	10. Before them the earth is laid waste, the heavens shake; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness.
11. And the Lord gave forth His voice before His army, for His camp is great, for he who performs His word is mighty, for the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can abide it?	11. The LORD has raised His Memra before His army, for His army is immense indeed; for those who carry out His Memra are mighty. For great is the day which will come from the LORD, and exceedingly terrible; who can bear it?
12. And even now, says the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with lamentation.	12. "Even now", says the LORD, "return to My worship with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning."
13. And rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and He repents of the evil.	13. Remove the wickedness/Lawlessness of your heart, but not with the tearing of your garments, and return to the worship of the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful. He removes anger and multiplies blessings, and he draws back His Memra from bringing evil.
14. Whoever knows shall repent and regret, and it shall leave after it a blessing, a meal offering and a libation to the Lord your God. {P}	14. Whoever knows that he has sins on his conscience, let him turn back from them, and he will be shown compassion; and whoever repents, his sins will be forgiven, and he will receive blessings and consolations, and his prayer will be like that of a man who presents offerings and libations in the Sanctuary of the LORD your God.

Correlations

By H.H. Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

& Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Vayikra (Leviticus) 24:1 – 25:34

Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4

Psalm 88:1-19

2 Peter 3:1-7

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:

HaShem - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Children / Son - בן, Strong’s number 01121.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

HaShem - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Children / Son - בן, Strong’s number 01121.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 24:1 And HaShem <03068> spake unto Moses, saying,

Vayikra (Leviticus) 24:2 Command the children <01121> of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.

Ho 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of HaShem <03068> are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Joe 1:1 The word of HaShem <03068> that came to Joel the son <01121> of Pethuel.

Joe 1:3 Tell ye your children <01121> of it, and let your children <01121> tell their children <01121>, and their children <01121> another generation.

Ps 88:1 A Song or Psalm for the sons <01121> of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. HaShem <03068> God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:

Ps 88:9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: HaShem <03068>, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

Ps 88:13 But unto thee have I cried, HaShem <03068>; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

Ps 88:14 HaShem <03068>, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?

HEBREW

Hebrew	English	Torah Seder Lev 24:1 – 25:34		Psalms Psa 88:1-19		Ashlamatah Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4
אַיִן	have no	Lev. 25:31	Ps. 88:4
אָכַל	eat	Lev. 24:9			Joel 1:4
אֱלֹהִים	GOD	Lev. 24:15	Ps. 88:1		Joel 1:14
אִם	but if, or	Lev. 25:28			Joel 1:2
אָסַף	gather	Lev. 25:3			Joel 1:14
אֶרֶץ	land, earth	Lev. 25:2	Ps. 88:12		Joel 1:2
אֲשֶׁר	which, whom	Lev. 25:2	Ps. 88:5
בּוֹא	come, brought	Lev. 24:11	Ps. 88:2
בַּיִת	house	Lev. 25:29			Joel 1:14
בֵּן	sons	Lev. 24:2			Joel 1:1
בֹּקֶר	morning	Lev. 24:3	Ps. 88:13
דּוֹר	generations	Lev. 24:3			Joel 1:3
הָיָה	you shall have	Lev. 25:4	Ps. 88:4		Joel 1:1
זֶה	this	Lev. 25:13			Joel 1:2
חָשַׁב	calculate	Lev. 25:27	Ps. 88:4
יָד	hands	Lev. 24:14	Ps. 88:5
יָדַע	aquaintances, know		Ps. 88:8		Hos. 14:9
יהוה	LORD	Lev. 24:1	Ps. 88:1		Hos. 14:9
יוֹם	day	Lev. 24:8	Ps. 88:1		Joel 1:2
יָצָא	went, go	Lev. 24:10	Ps. 88:8
יָשַׁב	inhabitants, live	Lev. 25:10			Hos. 14:7
כֹּל	all	Lev. 24:14	Ps. 88:7		Joel 1:2
כֵּן	so	Lev. 24:19			Joel 2:4
לֹה	nor, no	Lev. 25:4	Ps. 88:5
מָה	what	Lev. 25:20	Ps. 88:14		Hos. 14:8
מוּת	dead, death	Lev. 24:16	Ps. 88:5
מִנִּי	outside	Lev. 24:3	Ps. 88:9
מָצָא	find, found	Lev. 25:26			Hos. 14:8
נֶפֶשׁ	life, soul	Lev. 24:17	Ps. 88:3
נָשָׂא	bear, surrer	Lev. 24:15	Ps. 88:15
סָמַךְ	lay, rested	Lev. 24:14	Ps. 88:7
סָפַר	count, declare, tell	Lev. 25:8	Ps. 88:11		Joel 1:3
עוֹד	more		Ps. 88:5		Hos. 14:8
עַיִן	eye	Lev. 24:20	Ps. 88:9
עַל	over, on account		Ps. 88:16		Joel 1:5
פֶּה	command, from your mouth	Lev. 24:12			Joel 1:5
פָּנֶה	before	Lev. 24:3	Ps. 88:2
פְּרִי	produce, fruit	Lev. 25:19			Hos. 14:8
קָדַשׁ	consecrate	Lev. 25:10			Joel 1:14
קוּם	passes. Rise	Lev. 25:30	Ps. 88:10
קָרָא	proclaim, called	Lev. 25:10	Ps. 88:9		Joel 1:14
שׁוּב	will again, return	Lev. 25:10			Hos. 14:7
שָׁמַע	hear, heard	Lev. 24:14			Joel 1:2
rb;['	sound	Lev. 25:9	Ps. 88:16
hf'['	done	Lev. 24:19	Ps. 88:10

GREEK

Greek	English	Torah Seder Lev 24:1 – 25:34	Psalms Psa 88:1-19	Ashlamatah Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4	NC 2 Pe 3:1-7
ἅγιον	holy, holies	Lev 24:9			2Pe 3:2
ἄνθρωπος	man, men	Lev 24:10			2Pe 3:7
ἀπώλεια	destruction, destructive		Psa 88:11		2Pe 3:7
ἀσεβής	impious			Hos 14:9	2Pe 3:7
γῆ	land, earth	Lev 25:2	Psa 88:12	Joe 1:2	2Pe 3:5
ἡμέρα	day	Lev 24:8	Psa 88:1	Joe 1:2	2Pe 3:3
θεός	GOD	Lev 24:15	Psa 88:1	Joe 1:14	2Pe 3:5
κρίσις	judgments	Lev 25:18			2Pe 3:7
κύριος	LORD	Lev 24:15	Psa 88:1	Hos 14:9	2Pe 3:2
λέγω	saying	Lev 24:1			2Pe 3:4
λόγος	word			Joe 1:1	2Pe 3:5
μιμνῄσκομαι	remember		Psa 88:5		2Pe 3:2
πατήρ	father			Joe 1:2	2Pe 3:4
ὕδωρ	water		Psa 88:17		2Pe 3:5

2 Tsefet (Peter) 3:1-7

CLV[1]	Magiera Peshitta NT[2]	Greek[3]	Delitzsch[4]
1. This is already, beloved, the second epistle I am writing to you in which I am rousing your sincere comprehension by a reminder"	1. This second letter, my beloved [ones], I write to you now, in which I stir up by remembrance your proper thinking,	1. Ταύτην ἤδη ἀγαπητοί δευτέραν ὑμῖν γράφω ἐπιστολήν ἐν αἷς διεγείρω ὑμῶν ἐν ὑπομνήσει τὴν εἰλικρινῆ διάνοιαν	זֹאת הָאִגֶּרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי כֹתֵב אֲלֵיכֶם חֲבִיבָי וּבִשְׁתֵּיהֶן כְּמַזְכִּיר אָעִיר אֶת־תּוּמַּת לְבַבְכֶם׃
2. to remind you of the declarations which have been declared before by the holy prophets, and of the precept of your apostles of the Lord and Saviour,	2. so that you will recall the words that were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and our Savior by way of the apostles,	2. μνησθῆναι τῶν προειρημένων ῥημάτων ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἡμῶν ἐντολῆς τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος	2 לִזְכֹּר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים מִקֶּדֶם בִּידֵי הַנְּבִיאִים הַקְּדֹשִׁים וְאֶת־מִצְוַת אֲדֹנֵינוּ וּמוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ אֲשֶׁר נִתְּנָה עַל־יְדֵי שְׁלִיחֵיכֶם׃
3. knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will be coming with scoffing, going according to their own desires"	3. knowing this first, that at the end of days mockers will come who will mock, walking according to their own desires	3. τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι ἐλεύσονται ἐπ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐμπαῖκται κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας αὐτῶν ἐπιθυμίας πορευόμενοι	3 וּדְעוּ זֹאת לָכֶם רִאשֹׁנָה כִּי בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים יָבֹאוּ לֵצִים הֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵי תַאֲוֹת נַפְשָׁם וְיִתְלוֹצֲצוּ לֵאמֹר׃
4. and saying, "Where is the promise of His presence? For since the fathers were put to repose, all is continuing thus from the beginning of creation."	4. and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For since our fathers have slept, everything continues the same from the beginning of the creation."	4. καὶ λέγοντες Ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ ἀφ ἡς γὰρ οἱ πατέρες ἐκοιμήθησαν πάντα οὕτως διαμένει ἀπ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως	4 אַיֵּה הַבְטָחַת בֹּאוֹ כִּי מֵאָז שָׁכְבוּ הָאָבוֹת הַכֹּל עֹמֵד כְּמוֹ מֵרֵאשִׁית הַבְּרִיאָה׃
5. For they want to be oblivious of this, that there were heavens of old, and an earth cohering out of water and through water, by the word of God;"	5. For this is forgotten by them willingly, that the heaven[s] were from before, and the earth rose up out of the water and by way of water, by the word of God.	5. λανθάνει γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοῦτο θέλοντας ὅτι οὐρανοὶ ἦσαν ἔκπαλαι καὶ γῆ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ δι ὕδατος συνεστῶσα τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ	5 וְנֶעְלָם מִדַּעְתָּם לִרְצוֹנָם שֶׁלְּפָנִים בִּדְבַר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשׂוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ מִן־הַמַּיִם וְעַל־יְדֵי הַמָּיִם׃
6. through which the then world, being deluged by water, perished."	6. Then by way of these [waters] the world overflowed with water and was destroyed.	6. δι ὧν ὁ τότε κόσμος ὕδατι κατακλυσθεὶς ἀπώλετο·	6 וְעַל יְדֵיהֶם אָבְדָה תֵבֵל אֲשֶׁר מֵאָז כִּי נִשְׁטְפָה בְּמֵי הַמַּבּוּל׃
7. Yet the heavens now, and the earth, by the same word, are stored with fire, being kept for the day of the judging and destruction of irreverent men."	7. But the heaven and the earth that are now are kept in store by his word, being reserved for fire on the day of the judgment and of the destruction of wicked men.	7. οἱ δὲ νῦν οὐρανοὶ καὶ ἡ γῆ αὐτοῦ λόγῳ τεθησαυρισμένοι εἰσὶν πυρί τηρούμενοι εἰς ἡμέραν κρίσεως καὶ ἀπωλείας τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀνθρώπων	7 גַּם־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לְפָנֵינוּ נִצְפְּנוּ בִדְבָרוֹ וְהֵם שְׁמוּרִים לָאֵשׁ לְיוֹם הַדִּין וַאֲבֹד אַנְשֵׁי הָרֶשַׁע׃

Hakham’s & Dr. Adon Eliyahu’s Rendition

1 Now beloved, I write this second letter to stimulate (bring to) your mind, calling you to [unmixed] piety of thought.

2 Remember the Prophesies of the Holy Prophets and the commandments (Mesorort – Oral Teachings) of us the Hakhamim of the (our) Master and deliverer.

3 Most importantly, you must know that pseudo teachers will come in the last days (Heb. “acharit HaYamim) following (walking after) their Yetser HaRa (Heb. for “evil inclination”).

4 And saying, where is the report of his (i.e. Messiah’s) coming? For since the forefathers have fallen asleep all things stay constantly (the same) as from the creation.

5 For they (i.e. the pseudo teachers) willingly concealed that the heavens [were] from antiquity and the earth was created through water standing (being established) by G-d’s Word.

6 Through which the world of [that time] passing through the flood was destroyed (judged).

7 But the present heavens and earth, by the same Word, are kept (reserved) for Yom HaDin (Heb. for “the day of judgment”) and [together with] G-dless men for destruction by fire.

Commentary

This week we have a double Torah Seder reading:

Torah Seder # 104 - Lev. 24:1 – 25:13 - - 2 Peter 3:1-2

Torah Seder # 105 - Lev. 25:14-34 - - 2 Peter 3:3-7

According to Neyry[5] there are five slanders raised against Hakham Tsefet and his Talmidim (Disciples) and to which he provides an answer. These are:

1. Reply to the First Slander: Prophecy of the Parousia Defended (2 Peter 1:16-18);
2. Reply to the Second Slander: Prophecy and [Rabbinic] Interpretation Defended (2 Peter 1:19-21)
3. The Third Slander: The Master Denied (2 Peter 2:1-3a)

Reply to the Third Slander: Divine Judgment Defended (2 Peter 2:3b-10a)

4. The Fourth Slander: G-d’s Powerful Word Challenged (2 Peter 3:1-4)

Reply to the Fourth Slander: Divine Word of Judgment Defended (2 Peter 3:5-7)

5. The Fifth Slander And Reply: Delay of Divine Judgment Defended (2 Peter 3:8-13)

Therefore, Neyrey[6] divides the reading of 2 Peter 3:1-7 into two pericopes:

2 Peter 3:1-4 – The Fourth Slander: G-d’s Powerful Word Challenged

2 Peter 3:5-7 – Reply to the Fourth Slander: Divine Word of Judgment Defended

Davids,[7] on the other hand considers 2 Peter 3:1-13 to be a long single pericope which he entitles “Conclusions about the Day of the LORD.” However, the New American Standard Bible,[8] has a pericope at 3:1-2 entitled: “The Purpose of the Letter,” and a following pericope at 3:3-7 entitled “The Coming Day of the Lord.” Therefore our division of this reading with 2 Peter 3:1-2, 2 Peter 3:3-7 has support from some Christian Scholars.

Because of the number of Sabbaths available in this Tirshri cycle, two Sedarim had to be joined, it makes sense that these two pericopes of Hakham Tsefet be joined to form a larger pericope which has miraculously good logical sense. Such is the Providence of G-d and the precision of His Septennial Lectionary!

v.1 Now beloved, I write this second letter to stimulate (bring to) your mind, calling you to [unmixed] piety of thought. The Greek words used in this verse: εἰλικρινῆ διάνοιαν –Eilikrini Dianoian, translated normally as “wholesome thinking” or “pure thoughts” we have rendered it as “[unmixed] piety of thought.” Neyrey[9] correctly points out that “Dianoia is not simply the faculty of the mind, but the very product of the mind, namewly understanding and meaning[10].” For example, in Josephus, DIANOIA refers to both Messiah King Solomon’s “discovery of the meaning” (DIANOIAN) of the conundrums of the King of Tyre (Ant. 8.143), and his rendering of the difficult sayings of the Queen of Sheba (Ant. 8.166). Further, he understands DIANOIA as Daniel’s wise interpretation of dreams and visions (Ant. 10,217, 234).

So, we may ask, what is this “[unmixed] piety of thought” to which Hakham Tsefet reminds us we have an obligation towards? Neyrey[11] answers this question by translating ELIKRINI as “correct.” He states:

“The understanding of sacred things must be “correct” (ELIKRINI); that is, it must be “pure” (i.e. not mixed with heresy), and “correct” (i.e. not wrong), and “true” (i.e. not false). In light of Hakham’s valiant defense of the Jewish Sages’ teachings, we must deduce that this “[unmixed] piety of thought” refers to the four sets of Rabbinic Rules of Exegesis, and Hebrew Grammar in both interpreting the Scriptures as well as foreseeing in them insights which prophesies the future.

A number of Christian Scholars do not believe that “this second letter” is the subsequent letter to the First Epistle of Hakham Tsefet, and providing numerous superfluous arguments. Our conviction is that this Epistle is a follow up on the First Epistle as appears in the collection of the Nazarean Codicil. Our Lectionary readings prove this fact.

v.2 Remember the Prophesies of the Holy Prophets and the commandments (Mesorort – Oral Teachings) of us the Hakhamim of the (our) Master and deliverer. As a true Hakham, Hakham Tsefet points out that we need to remember (“to stimulate (bring to) your mind”) that throughout the Hebrew Scriptures and the teachings of the Jewish Sages a number of precedents have been laid. And we need to pay particular attention to these as we interpret our present and future reality.

For many uninformed “prophecy” is about things that are coming and foretold. However, in the Jewish mind, “prophecy” is simply the Word of G-d whether it be in written or oral form and thereby including as its substantive part the commandments of both the Written and Oral Law. Here Hakham Tsefet again brings his two witnesses: the Prophets of Scripture and the Hakhamim with their Oral Torah.

The phrase “the commandments (Mesorort – Oral Teachings) of us the Hakhamim of the (our) Master” implies an unbroken chain of tradition from Mosheh Rabbenu to the Master Messiah King Yeshua and from then on through his Hakhamim to this very day. This is something that the pseudo teachers and pseudo prophets cannot claim at all, therefore they need to appeal to a “new” beginning and subsequently divorce themselves from the great treasures of that unbroken Rabbinic tradition from Moses to this very day.

v.3 Most importantly, you must know that pseudo teachers will come in the last days (Heb. “acharit HaYamim) following (walking after) their Yetser HaRa (Heb. for “evil inclination”).

v.4 And saying, where is the report of his (i.e. Messiah’s) coming? For since the forefathers have fallen asleep all things stay constantly (the same) as from the creation.

Please note the Hebraic manner in which denial is expressed by a question, as in Mal. 2:17; Psalm 42:3; 79:10; Jere. 17:15, etc.

Interestingly Neyrey[12] aptly identifies Hakham Tsefet’s opponents stating:

“Some ancient thinkers acclaimed the world “eternal in the past” (AGENITOS) and “imperishable in the future” (APHTHARTOS). For esample, Plutarch attributes to Epicurus this sense of the complete eternity of the world: “the universe is infinite, ungenerated (AGENITON) and imperishable (APHTHARTON)” (Adv. Colotem 1114A). This may be found frequently in the writings of Aristotle (de Caelo 1.12.282a, 25) and Philo (Aet. 7, 10, 12, 20, 69, 93; Somn. 2.283). Although formal discussions of cosmology abound among ancient thinkers, the issue here is no mere debate over abstract philosophical ideas, but a challenge to the traditional doctrine of G-d as well. Thinkers such as Epicurus denied Divine Providence, saying that G-d is not moved in any way, either to create the world or to judge it. The opponents of 2 Peter mock certain doctrines about G-d: (a) the Master’s Coming as an agent of G-d. (b) the slowness of G-d’s judgment, and in fact, (c) the very idea of Divine judgment (2:1,3). Hence G-d’s honour is challenged once more by the mockery of Divine power to act in the physical world as well as the world of human affairs.”

In Pirke Abot Chapter II Mishnah 13, we read:

“Rabbi Elazar said: Be diligent in the study of Torah and know what to reply to a heretic (Heb. EPIQOROS). [Know] also before whom you are labouring and who is your employer, who will pay you the wages of your labor.”

The Mishnaic word EPIQOROS is an importation into the Hebrew language of the Greek term “Epicurean” or follower of Epicurus. And throughout the whole of 2 Peter, we see Hakham Tsefet battling and answering the pseudo-teachers and pseudo-prophets who are nothing but Epicureans. In fact, we may say that the whole of the Second Epistle of Hakham Tsefet is a treatise on “what to reply to a heretic (Heb. EPIQOROS).”

In the third chapter of Hilchot Teshuva, the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) delineates the groups of sinners who forfeit their share in the World to Come. In Halakha 8, he defines the group known as "Apiqorsim" ("heretics"), explaining that this category includes three types of people:

1. Those who deny the concept of prophecy, that G-d delivers instruction to human beings.
2. Those who deny the prophecy of Moshe Rabbenu. Even if one accepts the notion of prophecy generally, he has no share in the next world if he denies the prophetic stature of Moshe.
3. Those who deny G-d's knowledge of human events and experiences.

All these people fall under the category of "Apiqorsim" and have no share in the World to Come.

Two more categories are also generically called “Apiqorsim,” however the Rambam distinguishes these two from the category of “Apiqorsim.”

The next category discussed by the Rambam is that of "Kofrim" ("rejecters"), and consists of people who maintain one of the following three beliefs:

1. That the Torah was not transmitted in its entirety from God. Even if one denies the divine origin of a single verse or a single word of the Torah, and claims that Moshe wrote it independently, without it being dictated by the Almighty, he loses his share in the World to Come.
2. That the Rabbinic tradition of Torah She'be'al Peh (oral tradition) does not originate from G-d. Even if a person accepts the divine origin of the written Law, he is deemed a "Kofer" if he rejects the traditions of the Sages in explaining and applying the written Torah.
3. That the Torah or any part thereof is no longer applicable, or has been supplanted by a different law or system of laws. Christians, for example, believe in the divine origin of the Torah but claim that it has since been replaced by a new law. Anybody who maintains such a belief, or says about even a single Mitzva (commandment) that it has been repealed or substituted with another law, has no share in the next world.

In Halacha 9, the Rambam proceeds to define the next category of sinners, the "Meshumadim" ("defectors"). He writes that this term refers to one of the following types of sinners:

1. A person who intentionally, habitually and publicly rejects one of the 613 commandments. Even if a person faithfully observes the other 612 Mitzvot (commandments), if he makes a point of publicly transgressing one Mitzva on a regular basis, such as if he intentionally wears Sha’atnez (a garment woven with wool and linen) or cuts his sideburns, he is deemed a "Meshumad."
2. A person who chooses to abandon Judaism and embrace the religion of an enemy people that enjoys the upper hand. If a person defects from Judaism in order to spare himself the humiliation and persecution traditionally suffered by Jews, and to enjoy the benefits of belonging to the ruling people, he is deemed a "Meshumad" and has no share in the World to Come.

It appears then, that the enemies of Hakham Tsefet (i.e. the pseudo teachers, and psudo prophets) belonged to either one or more of these three categories. Therefore, the terms “Apiqorsim proper,” “Kofrim,” and “Meshumad,” all fall into the general category of “Apiqorsim.”

v.5 For they (i.e. the pseudo teachers) willingly concealed that the heavens [were] from antiquity and the earth was created through water standing (being established) by G-d’s Word.

v.6 Through which the world of [that time] passing through the flood was destroyed (judged).

v.7 But the present heavens and earth, by the same Word, are kept (reserved) for Yom HaDin (Heb. for “the day of judgment”) and [together with] G-dless men for destruction by fire.

It is important to understand that for Hakham Tsefet at “grosso modo” there are three ages of the world:

Age 1 – From Creation to the world being judged by water (i.e. the flood);

Age 2 – From the Flood to the judgement of the heavens and the earth by fire;

Age 3 – The New Heavens and the New Earth.

The time intervening in each of these ages is impossible to know, an G-d has not revealed it either. Note that in Genesis 1:1 it says that “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth.” When exactly that happened we will never know. So obviously the extension of time in each of these three ages is inconsequential. What is of great importance though is that G-d is a rewarder of the righteous/generous and a punisher of the injust/Lawless.

It is interesting that at the entrance of the Tabernacle/Temple was the Laver to remind us that the world was judged by water, and in the Holy Place was the Menorah (candelabrum), which through its fire from the lamps gave light and revelation to the righteous/generous, but also this Menorah prophesied that heaven and the earth would ultimately be judged by fire together with those that are Lawless as Hakham Tsefet accurately points out.

Davids[13] puts it thusly:

“So the “scoffers” have forgotten something. Yes, there was an original creation, and yes, the world appears to be running quite well now along the lines laid down in the creation, but, no, there is not a full continuity. We are in the second age of the world, an age that is demarcated from the first age by G-d’s judgment in the flood, just as our age will be demarcated from the next by G-d’s judgment with fire. Things have not continued as they were from the beginning of the creation. There was a great discontinuity, after which G-d again had to separate the waters, restraining chaos and returning the world to its original order. Forgetting this discontinuity is quite serious, for it has allowed the “scoffers” to forget that there is a precedent for the coming judgment. The first assumption has proved false.”

As we commented in v.2 – “Hakham Tsefet points out that we need to remember (“to stimulate (bring to) your mind”) that throughout the Hebrew Scriptures and the teachings of the Jewish Sages a number of precedents have been laid. And we need to pay particular attention to these as we interpret our present and future reality.” Again the pseudo teachers and pseudo prophets – i.e. the Apiqorsim have a tremendous problem with Rabbinic Hermeneutics and Hebrew Grammar. What is new under the sun?

Some Questions to Ponder:

1. From all the readings for this Shabbat, what verse or verses touched your heart and fired your imagination?

2. How is Variqra 24:2 related to Vayiqra 25:33-34?

3. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 24:2?

4. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 24:7?

5. What question was asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 24:10?

6. What question was asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 24:11?

7. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 24:16?

8. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 25:1?

9. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 25:6?

10. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 25:8?

11. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 25:9?

12. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 25:17?

13. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Leviticus 25:33?

14. On reading the Torah Seder for this week what touched the heart and fired the imagination of the the sons of Korah in Psalm 88:1-19?

15. On reading the Torah Seder for this week what touched the heart and fired the imagination of the prophets Hosea and Joel?

16. How is the reading of Hakham Tsefet (2 Peter 3:1-7) related to the readings for this Shabbat?

17. In your opinion, what is the chief purpose that Hakham Tsefet wants to address in 2 Peter 3:1-7?

18. Explain how Hakham Tsefet derived all of his material in 2 Peter 3:1-7 from the Torah Seder for this Shabbat, Psalm 88, and Hosea 14:7 – Joel 1:5, 14 + 2:4?

19. How are the readings for this Shabbat communicating that the people of G-d (particularly Nazarean Jews) must be a separate people not imitating any of the traditions, laws and customs of the Gentiles but should be faithful to observe the commandments of the Sages?

20. How are the readings for this Shabbat intimating to us that the Fast of the 10^th of Tebet is upon us?

21. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message for this week?

Coming Fast of the 10^th of Tebet

Evening Thursday Dec. 16, 2010 – Evening Friday December 17, 2010

For further information please read and study: http://www.betemunah.org/tevet10.html

Morning Service for the Fast of 10^th of Tebet

Torah Reading: Shemot (Exodus) 32:11-14; 34:1-10

Reader 1 – Shemot 32:11-14

Reader 2 – Shemot 34:1-4

Reader 3 – Shemot 34:5-10

The Haftarah is taken from Isaiah 55:6 – 56:8

(We fast on Daylight only!)

Next Shabbat:

Shabbat “V’Ki Yamukh”

Tebet 11, 5771 – December 17/18, 2010

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וְכִי-יָמוּךְ
“V’Ki Yamukh”	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 25:35-38	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 26:3-6
“An when becomes poor”	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 25:39-41	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 26:7-10
“Y cuando empobreciere”	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 25:42-44	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 26:11-13
Vayiqra (Lev.) 25:35 – 26:2	Reader 4 – Vayiqra 25:44-46
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 35:3-10	Reader 5 – Vayiqra 25:47-49
	Reader 6 – Vayiqra 25:50-53	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 26:3-6
Psalm 89:1-15	Reader 7 – Vayiqra 25:54-26:1-2	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 26:7-10
	Maftir: Vayiqra 25: 55-26:1-2	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 26:11-13
N.C.: 2 Peter 3:8-10	Isaiah 35:3-10

Shalom Shabbat !

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

HE Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

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[1] CLV (Concordant Literal Version) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[2] Magiera, J.M. (2009), Aramaic Peshitta New Testament: Vertical Interlinear, Light of the Word Ministry, Vol. III.

[3] Greek New Testament (Stephanus Text) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[4] Delitzsch, http://www.kirjasilta.net/ha-berit/

[5] Neyrey, J.H. (1993), The Anchor Bible: 2 Peter & Jude, Vol. 37C, New Haven: Yale University Press, pp. v-vi

[6] Ibid., pp. 226-235

[7] Davids, P.H. (2006), The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, p. vii.

[8] NASU: New Amrican Standard Bible Update, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, by

The Lockman Foundation.

[9] Ibid., p.230

[10] TDNT 4:965.

[11] Ibid. p. 230

[12] Ibid. p.231

[13]