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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Tebet 05, 5772 – Dec. 30/31, 2011	Fourth Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:

Conroe & Austin, TX, U.S. Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 5:22 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 6:19 PM	Brisbane, Australia Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 6:28 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 7:26 PM	Bucharest, Romania Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 4:26 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 5:34 PM
Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 5:20 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 6:21 PM	Jakarta, Indonesia Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 5:51 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 6:44 PM	Manila & Cebu, Philippines Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 5:18 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 6:11 PM
Miami, FL, U.S. Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 5:22 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 6:17 PM	Olympia, WA, U.S. Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 4:13 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 5:23 PM	Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 4:28 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 5:30 PM
Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 4:04 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 5:11 PM	Singapore, Singapore Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 6:50 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 7:42 PM	St. Louis, MO, U.S. Fri. Dec 30 2011 – Candles at 4:30 PM Sat. Dec 31 2011 – Havdalah 5:33 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 Honor Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Her Excellency Prof. Dr. Conny Williams & beloved family

Her Excellency Giberet Gloria Sutton & beloved family

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.

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Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים
“Shof’tim V’Shot’rim”	Reader 1 – Debarim 16:18-21	Reader 1 – Debarim 18:14-16
“Judges and officers”	Reader 2 – Debarim 17:1-7	Reader 2 – Debarim 18:17-19
“Jueces y oficiales”	Reader 3 – Debarim 17:8-10	Reader 3 – Debarim 18: 20-22
D’barim (Deut.) 16:18 - 18:13	Reader 4 – Debarim 17:11-13
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 56:1-9 + 57:19	Reader 5 – Debarim 17:14-20
	Reader 6 – Debarim 18:1-8	Reader 1 – Debarim 18:14-16
Psalm 120, 121, 122, 123	Reader 7 – Debarim 18:9-13	Reader 2 – Debarim 18:17-19
	Maftir – Debarim 18:10-13	Reader 3 – Debarim 18: 20-22
N.C.: Mark 15:22-28	Isaiah 56:1-9 + 57:19

Blessings Before Torah Study

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!

Please Ha-Shem, our G-d, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:

May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you, and grant you peace. – Amen!

This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."

These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when doing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.

These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honouring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol 17: Deuteronomy – III – Gratitude & Discipline

By: Rabbi Yitzchaq Behar Argueti & Rabbi Shmuel Yerushalmi

Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1992)

Vol. 17 – “Deuteronomy – III – Gratitude & Discipline,” pp. 191-250.

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: D’barim (Deut.) 16:18 -18:13

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
18. You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities that the Lord, your God, is giving you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment.	18. UPRIGHT judges and efficient administrators you will appoint in all your cities which the LORD your God will give you for your tribes, and they will judge the people with true judgment.
19. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show favoritism, and you shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words.	19. You will not set judgment aside, nor respect persons, nor take a gift, because a gift blinds the eyes of the wise who take it; for it perverts them to foolishness, and confuses equitable words in the mouth of the judges in the hour of their decision
20. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the Lord, your God, is giving you.	20. Upright and perfect judgment in truth will you follow, that you may come to inherit the land which the LORD your God will give you.
21. You shall not plant for yourself an asherah, [or] any tree, near the altar of the Lord, your God, which you shall make for yourself.	21. As it is not allowed you to plant a grove by the side of the LORD's altar, so is it not allowed you to associate in judgment a fool with a wise judge to teach that which you are to do.
22. And you shall not set up for yourself a monument, which the Lord, your God hates.	22. As it is not for you to erect a statue, so are you not to appoint to be a governor a proud man, whom the LORD your God does abhor.
1. You shall not sacrifice to the Lord, your God, an ox or a sheep that has in it a blemish or any bad thing, for that is an abomination to the Lord, your God.	1. You will not sacrifice before the. LORD your God a bullock or lamb which has any blemish or evil in it, or which is torn or rent; for that is abominable before the LORD your God.
2. If there will be found among you, within one of your cities which the Lord, your God is giving you, a man or woman who does evil in the eyes of the Lord, your God, to transgress His covenant,	2. If there be found among you in one of your cities that the LORD your God will give you a man or woman who does what is evil before the LORD your God in transgressing His covenant,
3. and who will go and worship other gods and prostrate himself before them, or to the sun, the moon, or any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded;	3. and, following after evil desire, will serve the idols of the Gentiles, and worship them, or the sun, or the moon, or all the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded;
4. and it will be told to you, and you will hear it, and investigate thoroughly, and behold, the matter coincides; this abomination has been perpetrated in Israel.	4. and it be told you, and you hear and make inquiry by witnesses fairly; and, behold, if this word be true and certain, that such abomination is wrought among you,
5. Then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has committed this evil thing, to your cities, the man or the woman, and you shall pelt them with stones, and they shall die.	5. then you will bring forth that man or woman who has done this evil thing, unto the gate of your house of judgment, the man or the woman, and you will stone them that they die.
6. By the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall the one liable to death be put to death; he shall not be put to death by the mouth of one witness.	6. Upon the word of two witnesses or of three he will die who is guilty of death; they will not be put to death on the word of one witness.
7. The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people, and you shall abolish evil from among you.	7. The hands of the witnesses will be first upon him to kill him, and afterward the hands of all (any of) the people; and so will you bring down the evil doer among you.
8. If a matter eludes you in judgment, between blood and blood, between judgment and judgment, or between lesion and lesion, words of dispute in your cities, then you shall rise and go up to the place the Lord, your God, chooses.	8. If there be with you an extraordinary matter for judgment between unclean and clean blood, cases of life or of money, or between a plague of leprosy or of the scall, with words of controversy in your Beth Din, then you will arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God will choose;
9. And you shall come to the Levitic kohanim and to the judge who will be in those days, and you shall inquire, and they will tell you the words of judgment.	9. and you will come to the priests of the tribe of Levi, and to the judge who will be in those days, and inquire of them, and they will show you the process of judgment.
10. And you shall do according to the word they tell you, from the place the Lord will choose, and you shall observe to do according to all they instruct you.	10. Then will you do according to the word of the custom of the Law that they will show you at the place the LORD will choose, and observe to do whatsoever they teach you.
11. According to the law they instruct you and according to the judgment they say to you, you shall do; you shall not divert from the word they tell you, either right or left.	11. According to the word of the Law that they will teach you, and the manner of judgment they pronounce, you will do. You will not turn aside from the sentence they will show you, to the right or to the left.
12. And the man who acts intentionally, not obeying the kohen who stands there to serve the Lord, your God, or to the judge that man shall die, and you shall abolish evil from Israel.	12. And the man who will act with presumption, and not obey the judge or the priest who stands there to minister before the LORD your God, that man will be put to death; so will you put down the doer of evil from Israel,
13. And all the people shall listen and fear, and they shall no longer act wantonly.	13. and all the people will hear, and be afraid, and not do wickedly again.
14. When you come to the land the Lord, your God, is giving you, and you possess it and live therein, and you say, "I will set a king over myself, like all the nations around me,"	14. When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and possess, and dwell in it, and you say, Let us appoint a king over us, like all the nations about me,
15. you shall set a king over you, one whom the Lord, your God, chooses; from among your brothers, you shall set a king over yourself; you shall not appoint a foreigner over yourself, one who is not your brother.	15. you will inquire for instruction before the LORD and afterward appoint the king over you: but it will not be lawful to set over you a foreign man who is not of your brethren.
16. Only, he may not acquire many horses for himself, so that he will not bring the people back to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, for the Lord said to you, "You shall not return that way any more."	16. Only let him not increase to him more than two horses, lest his princes ride upon them, and become proud, neglect the words of the Law, and commit the sin of the captivity of Mizraim; for the LORD has told you, By that way you will return no more.
17. And he shall not take many wives for himself, and his heart must not turn away, and he shall not acquire much silver and gold for himself.	17. Neither will he multiply to him wives above eighteen, lest they pervert his heart; nor will he increase to him silver or gold, lest his heart be greatly lifted up, and he rebel against the God of heaven.
18. And it will be, when he sits upon his royal throne, that he shall write for himself two copies of this Torah on a scroll from [that Torah which is] before the Levitic kohanim.	18. And it will be that if he be steadfast in the commandments of the Law he will sit upon the throne of his kingdom in security. And let the elders write for him the section (pharasha) of this Law in a book before the priests of the tribe of Levi;
19. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord, his God, to keep all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to perform them,	19. and let it be at his side, and he will read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this Law, and all these statutes to perform them:
20. so that his heart will not be haughty over his brothers, and so that he will not turn away from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, in order that he may prolong [his] days in his kingdom, he and his sons, among Israel.	20. that his heart may not be arrogant toward his brethren, nor decline from the precepts to the right or the left, and that his days may be prolonged over his kingdom, his and his sons among Israel.
1. The Levitic kohanim, the entire tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; the Lord's fire offerings and His inheritance they shall eat.	1. The priests of the tribe of Levi will have no part or inheritance with their brethren: they will eat the oblations of the LORD as their portion
2. But he shall have no inheritance among his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as He spoke to him.	2. but an inheritance in field or vineyard they will not have among their brethren. The twenty and four gifts of the priesthood which the LORD will give to him are his heritage; as He said to him,
3. And this shall be the kohanim's due from the people, from those who perform a slaughter, be it an ox or a sheep, he shall give the kohen the foreleg, the jaws, and the maw.	3. And this will be the portion belonging to the priest from the people, from them who offer sacrifices, whether bullock or lamb they will give to the priest the right shoulder, the lower jaw, the cheeks, and the maw;
4. The first of your grain, your wine, and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.	4. the firsts of your corn, wine, and oil, the first of the fleece of your sheep, as much as a girdle measures will you give to him:
5. For the Lord, your God, has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand and serve in the name of the Lord, he and his sons, all the days.	5. because the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the Name of the LORD, him, and his sons, all the days.
6. And if a Levite comes from one of your cities out of all Israel where he sojourns, he may come whenever his soul desires, to the place the Lord will choose,	6. And when a Levite may come from one of your cities out of all Israel where he has dwelt, and come with all the obligation of his soul's desire to the place which the LORD will choose,
7. and he may serve in the name of the Lord, his God, just like all his Levite brothers, who stand there before the Lord.	7. then he will minister in the Name of the LORD his God as all his brethren the Levites who minister there before the LORD.
8. They shall eat equal portions, except what was sold by the forefathers.	8. Portion for portion equally will they eat, besides the gifts of the oblations which the priests do eat, which Elazar and Ithamar your fathers have given them to inherit.
9. When you have come to the land the Lord, your God, is giving you, you shall not learn to do like the abominations of those nations.	9. When you have entered the land which the LORD your God gives you, you will not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10. There shall not be found among you anyone who passes his son or daughter through fire, a soothsayer, a diviner of [auspicious] times, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,	10. None will be found among you to make his sons or daughters pass through the fire, nor who enchant with enchantments, or inspect serpents, nor observe divinations and auguries,
11. or a charmer, a pithom sorcerer, a yido'a sorcerer, or a necromancer.	11. or make (magical) knots and bindings of serpents and scorpions or any kind of reptile, or who consult the oba, the bones of the dead or the bone Jadua, or who inquire of the manes.
12. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations, the Lord, your God is driving them out from before you.	12. For every one who does these is an abomination before the LORD; and because of these abominations the LORD drives them out before you.
13. Be wholehearted with the Lord, your God.	13. You will be perfect in the fear of the LORD your God.

Rashi’s Commentary on D’barim (Deut.) 16:18 -18:13

18 Judges and law-enforcement officials Heb. שֽׁפְטִים וְשֽׁטְרִים . שֽׁפְטִים are judges who decide the verdict, and שֽׁטְרִים are those who chastise the people in compliance with their order, (who strike and bind [not found in early editions]) with rods and straps, until he [the guilty party] accepts the judge’s verdict.

in all your cities Heb. בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ , in every city. for your tribes [This phrase] refers back to “You shall set up... for yourself.” Thus, the understanding of the verse is “You shall set up judges and law-enforcement officials for yourself, for your tribes, in all your cities that the Lord, your God, is giving you.”

for your tribes This teaches us that judges must be appointed for every tribe, and for every city.-[Sifrei, San. 16b]

and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment Appoint judges who are expert and righteous so that they will judge justly.-[from Sifrei]

19 You shall not pervert justice [This is to be understood] according to its apparent meaning.

you shall not show favoritism Even during the statement of pleas [by the litigants]. This is an admonition addressed to the judge, that he should not be lenient with one litigant and harsh with the other, [e.g., ordering] one to stand [while allowing] the other to sit, because as soon as one notices that the judge is showing more respect toward his opponent, he cannot plead his case any longer [because he thinks that it will be of no use].

and you shall not take a bribe Even [if you intend] to judge justly -[from Sifrei].

for bribery blinds As soon as he [the judge] accepts a bribe from him [a litigant], it is impossible for him not to be favorably disposed towards him, to decide the judgment in his favor.

just words Heb. דִּבְרי צַדִּיקִים , just words, true judgments.

20 Justice, justice shall you pursue Seek out a good court. (Sifrei; San. 32b)

that you may live, and you possess [the land] The appointment of fitting judges is sufficient merit to keep Israel alive and settled in their land.-[from Sifrei]

21 You shall not plant for yourself an asherah [This admonition is] to make one liabl e [to punishment] from the time of planting it, and even though he did not worship it, he transgresses a prohibition for its planting.-[from Sifrei]

You shall not plant...any tree, near the altar of the Lord your God This is a prohibition addressed to one who plants a tree or builds a house on the Temple Mount.-[Sifrei]

22 And you shall not set up for yourself any monument A monument of one stone, to sacrifice on it even to Heaven.

which [the Lord your God] hates God has commanded you to make an altar of stones and an altar of earth. This, however, He hates, because this was a [religious] statute of the Canaanites, and although it was dear to Him in the days of the Patriarchs, now He hates it, since these [people] made it a statute for idolatry. (See Sifrei)

Chapter 17

1 You shall not sacrifice... or any bad thing Heb. דָּבָר רַע . This is an admonition to one who would make sacrifices disqualified (פִּגּוּל) through an evil [improper] utterance דִּבּוּר רַע . And from this [expression] our Rabbis derived other explanations as well, as they appear in [the tractate] Shechitath Kodashim [early name for Zevachim].-[Zev. 36]

2 to transgress His covenant which He made with you, namely, not to worship idols.

3 which I have not commanded to worship them.-[Meg. 9b]

4 [the matter] coincides Heb. נָכוֹן דָּבָר , the testimony coincides. [I.e. the testimony of one witness coincides with that of the other.

5 Then you shall bring out that man... to your cities Heb. אֶל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ . One who translates אֶל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ as לִתְרַע בֵּית דִינָךְ , “to the gate of your court,” is mistaken, for we have learned the following: when the verse [here] says "אֶל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ" , this refers to the city where [the accused] worshipped idols, or does it refer to the gates [of the court] where he was judged [since the courts were located at the gates]? [In answer to this,] the verse here says שְׁעָרֶיךָ , and above (verse 2), it says שְׁעָרֶיךָ Just as שְׁעָרֶיךָ mentioned [clearly] refers to the city where he worshipped [idols] [and not to the gates of a court], so too, the word שְׁעָרֶיךָ mentioned here refers to the city where he worshipped [idols]. Thus the correct version of the Targum is לְקִרְוָיךְ , to your cities.

6 two witnesses, or three But if testimony can be executed through two witnesses, why then does Scripture specify "or three"? [It does so] to draw a comparison between [testimony of] three to that of two; just as two witnesses are considered one unit, so too, are three witnesses considered one unit, and they are not subject to the laws of “plotting witnesses” עֵדִים זוֹמְמִין , unless all of them are proven to be “plotting witnesses.”-[Mak. 5b] (See Deut. 19:16-21.)

8 If a matter eludes you [in judgment] Heb. כִּי יִפָּלֵא . [The term] הַפְלְאָה always denotes detachment and separation; [here it means] that the matter is detached and hidden from you.

between blood and blood Between ritually unclean blood [of menstruation], and ritually clean blood.-[Niddah 19a] (See Rashi on Lev. 12:1-5.)

between judgment and judgment Between a judgment of innocent and a judgment of guilty.

between lesion and lesion Between a ritually unclean lesion, and a ritually clean lesion.

words of dispute whereby the Sages of the city [the judges] differ in their opinion on the matter, one declaring it impure, the other pure, one ruling guilty, the other innocent.

then you shall rise and go up [This] teaches [us] that the Temple [the seat of the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court] was on a higher elevation than all other places.-[Sifrei ; San. 87a]

9 [And you shall come to] the Levitic kohanim i.e., the kohanim, who are descended from the tribe of Levi.

and to the judge who will be in those days Although this judge may not be [of the same stature] as other judges who preceded him, you must listen to him, for you have only the judge [who lives] in your time.-[R.H. 25b]

11 either right or left, Even if this judge tells you that right is left, and that left is right. How much more so, if he tells you that right is right, and left is left!-[Sifrei]

13 And all the people shall listen From here we derive [the ruling] that they postpone his execution [i.e., of the זְקַן מַמְרֵא , the rebellious sage] until the Festival [when all Israel appears in Jerusalem], and they execute him on the Festival.-[San. 89a]

16 he may not acquire many horses for himself But, only what he needs for his chariots, “so that he will not cause the people to return to Egypt” [to purchase the horses], because horses come from there, as it is said of Solomon (I Kings 10:29), “And a chariot that went up and left Egypt sold for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty.”-[San. 21b]

17 And he shall not take many wives for himself Only eighteen, for we find that David had six wives, and it was told to him [by Nathan the prophet] (II Sam. 12:8): “and if this is too little, I would add for you like them and like them” [totaling eighteen].-[San. 21a and Sifrei]

and he shall not acquire much silver and gold for himself However, he may have what is required to provide for his troops.-[San. 21b]

18 And it will be, when he sits [upon his royal throne] If he does this, he merits that his kingdom will remain established.-[Sifrei]

two copies of this Torah- Heb. מִשְׁנֵה הַתּוֹרָה i.e., two Torah scrolls, one that is placed in his treasury, and the other that comes and goes with him (San. 21b). [I.e., a small scroll, which the king carries with him. Thus the Talmud derives מִשְׁנֵה from שְׁנַיִם , two.] Onkelos, however, renders פַּתְשֶׁגֶן , copy. He interprets [the word] מִשְׁנֵה in the sense of repeating and uttering. [I.e., one copy of the Torah, which the scribe would write while uttering the words before he writes them, deriving מִשְׁנֵה from שִׁנּוּן , studying.]

19 the words of [this] Torah [This is to be understood] according to its apparent meaning [namely a commandment written in the Torah].

20 and so that he will not turn away from the commandment Not even from a minor commandment of a prophet.

in order that he may prolong [his] days [in his kingdom] From this positive statement, one may understand the negative inference [i.e., if he does not fulfill the commandments, his kingdom will not endure]. And so we find in the case of Saul, that Samuel said to him, “Seven days shall you wait until I come to you to offer up burnt-offerings” (I Sam. 10:8), and it is stated, “And he waited seven days” (I Sam. 13:8), but Saul did not keep his promise and neglected to wait the entire [last] day. He had not quite finished sacrificing the burnt-offering, when Samuel arrived and said to him (I Sam 13:13-14), “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept [the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you...] so now your kingdom will not continue” (I Sam 13:13-14). Thus we learn, that for [transgressing] a minor commandment of a prophet, he was punished.

he and his sons [This] tells [us] that if his son is worthy of becoming king, he is given preference over any [other] person.-[Hor. 11b]

Chapter 18

1 the entire tribe of Levi whether whole-bodied or blemished.-[Sifrei]

no portion i.e., in the spoils.

or inheritance in the land.-[Sifrei]

the Lord’s fire-offerings The holy sacrifices of the Temple. (Other editions: The holiest sacrifices.)

and His portion These are the holy things of the boundaries, [i.e. those eaten throughout the entire land, namely,] the terumoth and the tithes, but

2 [he shall have] no inheritance He shall have no absolute inheritance among his brothers. In Sifrei 18:41, our Rabbis expound [as follows]:

But he shall have no inheritance This refers to the “inheritance of the remainder.”

among his brothers this refers to the “inheritance of the five.” I do not know what this means. It appears to me, however, that across the Jordan and onwards is called “the land of the five nations,” and that of Sihon and Og is called “the land of the two nations,” namely, the Amorites and the Canaanites. Now the expression, “inheritance of the remainder,” is meant to include the [remaining three nations of the ten whose land God promised to Abraham, namely] the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites (Gen. 15:19). The Sifrei in the section dealing with the [priestly] gifts specified for Aaron expounds this in a similar fashion, on the verse (Deut. 10:9), “Therefore, Levi has no portion or inheritance,” to admonish [the Levite to take no portion in] the inheritance of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites. It has since been found in the words of Rabbi Kalonimus, that the proper version of this passage in Sifrei reads as follows:

And he will have no inheritance This refers to the"inheritance of the five."

among his brothers This refers to the inheritance of the seven, [Rashi now explains this version of the Sifrei:] [The first reference is to] the inheritance of five [of the twelve] tribes [of Israel]. [The second, is to] the inheritance of [the remaining] seven tribes [of Israel]. Now Moses and Joshua apportioned inheritance only to five tribes: Moses, to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Mannasseh; Joshua, to Judah, Ephraim, and [the other] half of the tribe of Mannasseh. The remaining seven tribes took their inheritance by themselves after Joshua’s demise. Thus, because of this [distinction between these five former tribes and the seven latter ones], the Sifrei mentions five and seven separately.

as He spoke to him i.e., to Aaron [saying],"You shall not inherit in their land... I am your portion [and your inheritance, among the children of Israel]."-[Num. 18:20]

3 from the people But not from the kohanim [i.e., a kohen is exempt from these dues].-[Sifrei, Chul. 132b]

be it an ox or a sheep But not [from the category of] beast (חַיָּה) .

the foreleg from the carpus to the shoulder blade, called espaldun, espalde, or espaleron in Old French.-[Chul. 134b]

the jaws together with the tongue. Those who interpret the symbolism of Biblical verses say, the זְרוֹעַ [which is, in effect, the “hand” of the animal, became the due of the kohanim, as a reward] for the “hand” [which Phinehas, the kohen, raised against the sinners], as it is said, “and he took a spear in his hand” (Num. 25:7); the jaws [as a reward] for the prayer [he offered], as it is said, “Then Phinehas stood and prayed” (Ps. 106:30); and the maw (הַקֵּבָה) , as a reward [for his action against the sinning woman], as it said, “[And he stabbed both of them, the man of Israel] and the woman in her stomach (קֵבָתָהּ) ” (Num. 25:8). -[Chul. 134b].

4 The first of your grain This refers to terumah ; and although the verse does not state a required amount, our Rabbis set an amount for it [ranging from a sixtieth to a fortieth of the total produce as follows]: A generous [person] gives one fortieth of the crop, a miserly [person] one sixtieth, and [a person of] average generosity one fiftieth. They base [this ruling] that one should not give less than one sixtieth on what is said, "[This is the offering that you shall set apart: a sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat,] and you shall separate a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley" (Ezek. 45:13). [Since an ephah is equivalent to three se’ah,] a sixth of an ephah is equivalent to half a se’ah. [Now the “homer” mentioned in the verse is the same as a kor.] When you give [one sixth of an ephah from a homer, which we now know to be] one half of a se’ah for a kor, this amounts to one sixtieth because a kor is thirty se’ah.-[Yerushalmi, Terumoth 4:3]

and the first of the fleece of your sheep When you shear your sheep each year, give the first of it [the wool] to the kohen. And [although the verse] does not mention a required amount, our Rabbis set an amount, namely, one sixtieth. And how many sheep [are the minimum to] be liable to the law of “the first of the fleece?” At least five sheep, as it is said (I, “[Then Abigail... took] and five prepared (עֲשׂוּיוֹת) sheep” (Sam. 25:18). [The עֲשׂוּיוֹת here, is interpreted as meaning that five sheep compel their owner and say to you, as it were, “Get up and fulfill the commandment of 'the first of the fleece.’”] Rabbi Akiva says: [that the minimum number of sheep liable to this commandment is derived from our verse here]: The phrase רֵאשִׁית גֵז denotes two sheep; צֽאנְךָ [an additional two, making] four, and תִּתֶּן־לוֹ denotes one more, which is a total of five sheep. -[Chul. 135a, 137a; Sifrei] to stand and serve From here we learn that [the Temple] service is performed only when standing.-[Sifrei, Sotah 38a]

6 And if the Levite comes One might think that Scripture is referring to an actual Levite [i.e., not a kohen]. Therefore it says, “And he may serve” (verse 7). And since Levites are not fit to serve in the whole service, we see that this verse is not referring to them [but rather to kohanim].-[Sifrei]

he may come whenever his soul desires... 7 and he may serve [This] teaches [us] that a kohen may come and offer his own freewill and obligatory sacrifices even when it is not his shift.- B. K. 109b] Another explanation: It further teaches concerning kohanim who come to the Temple [as pilgrims] on the Festivals, that they may offer [together with those of the shift] and perform the services connected with the sacrifices that are brought because of the Festival—for instance, the “additional offerings” of the Festivaleven though it is not their shift.-[Sifrei, Sukk. 55b]

8 They shall eat equal portions This teaches that they [the kohanim present as pilgrims on the Festivals] receive a portion of the hides [of the Festival burnt-offerings] and the flesh of the he-goats of sin-offerings [of the Festival]. Now one might think that [these kohanim may participate] also in sacrifices which are brought unrelated to the Festival, such as the תָּמִיד , the daily burnt-offerings, מוּסְפֵי שַׁבָָּת , additional offerings of the Sabbath [on which a Festival may coincide] and sacrificial vows and donations. Therefore, it says:

except what was sold by the forefathers Except what his ancestors sold [to one another] in the days of David and Samuel when the system of shifts was established, trading with each other thus, “You take your week, and I will take my week.”-[Sifrei ; Sukk. 56a]

9 you shall not learn to do [like the abominations of those nations] But you may learn [their practices] to understand [them] and to teach [them], i.e. to understand how degenerate their actions are, and to teach your children, “Do not do such and such, because this is a heathen custom!”-[Sifrei ; San. 68a]

10 who passes his son or daughter through fire This was the Molech worship. They made two bonfires on either side and passed the child between them both.-[San. 64b]

a soothsayer What is a soothsayer? One who takes his rod in his hand and says [as though to consult it], “Shall I go, or shall I not go?” Similarly, it says (Hos. 4:12), “My people takes counsel of his piece of wood, and his rod declares to him.”-[Sifrei]

a diviner of [auspicious] times Heb. מְעוֹנֵן . Rabbi Akiva says: These are people who determine the times (עוֹנוֹת) , saying, “Such-and-such a time is good to begin [a venture].” The Sages say, however, that this refers to those who “catch the eyes (עֵינַיִם) ” [i.e., they deceive by creating optical illusions].

one who interprets omens [e.g.,] bread falling from his mouth, a deer crossing his path, or his stick falling from his hand.-[Sifrei, San. 65b]

11 or a charmer One who collects snakes, scorpions or other creatures into one place.

a pithom sorcerer This is a type of sorcery called pithom. The sorcerer raises the [spirit of the] dead, and it speaks from his [the sorcerer’s] armpit.

a yido’a sorcerer Here the sorcerer inserts a bone of the animal called yido’a into his mouth, and the bone speaks by means of sorcery.-[Sifrei, San. 65a]

or a necromancer As, for example, one who raises [the dead spirit] upon his membrum, or one who consults a skull.-[Sifrei, see San. 65b]

12 [For] whoever does these [things] [is an abomination to the Lord] It does not say, “one who does all these things,” but, “whoever does these things,” even one of them.-[Sifrei, Mak. 24a]

13 Be wholehearted with the Lord, your God Conduct yourself with Him with simplicity and depend on Him, and do not inquire of the future; rather, accept whatever happens to you with [unadulterated] simplicity and then, you will be with Him and to His portion.-[Sifrei]

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 120:1-7; 121:1-8; 122:1-9; & 123:1-4

RASHI	TARGUM
1. A song of ascents. In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me.	1. A song that was uttered on the ascents of the abyss. In the presence of the LORD, when I was in distress, I prayed, and He received my prayer.
2. O Lord, save my soul from false lips, from a deceitful tongue.	2. O LORD, deliver my soul from lips of deceit, from a deceptive tongue.
3. What can He give you, and what can He add to you, you deceitful tongue?	3. What does He give to you, O slanderer? And what does He add to you, O defamer, deceptive tongue?
4. Sharpened arrows of a mighty man with coals of brooms.	4. The arrows of a warrior, sharp as lightning from above, with coals of broom that burn in Gehenna below.
5. Woe is to me for I have sojourned in Meshech; I dwelt among the tents of Kedar.	5. Woe is me, for I have settled down with the oasis-dwellers; I have dwelt with the tents of the Arabs.
6. For a long time, my soul dwelt with those who hate peace.	6. More than these, my soul abides with Edom, the hater of peace.
7. I am at peace, but when I speak, they [come] to [wage] war.	7. I am peaceful, for I will pray; but they are for war.
1. A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?	1. A song that was uttered on the ascents of the abyss. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Whence shall come my help?
2. My help is from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.	2. My help is from the presence of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3. He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber.	3. He will not allow your foot to falter, your guardian does not slumber.
4. Behold the Guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.	4. Behold, He does not slumber and He will not sleep, the guardian of Israel.
5. The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand.	5. The LORD will guard you, the LORD will overshadow you, on account of the mezuzah affixed on your right side as you enter.
6. By day, the sun will not smite you, nor will the moon at night.	6. By day, when the sun rules, the morning-demons will not smite you, nor will the liliths, at night, when the moon rules.
7. The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul.	7. The word of the LORD will guard you from all harm, He will guard your soul.
8. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity.	8. The LORD will guard your going out for business and your coming in to study Torah, from now and forevermore.
1. A song of ascents of David. I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."	1. A song that was uttered on the ascents of the abyss. I rejoiced with those who say to me, "Let us go to the sanctuary of the LORD."
2. Our feet were standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.	2. Our feet were standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.
3. The built-up Jerusalem is like a city that was joined together within itself.	3. Jerusalem that is built in the firmament is like a city that has been joined together on earth.
4. There ascended the tribes, the tribes of God, testimony to Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.	4. Unto which the tribes have gone up, the tribes of the LORD, He who testifies to Israel that His presence abides among them when they go to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5. For there were set thrones for judgment, thrones for the house of David.	5. For there thrones have been placed; in Jerusalem thrones are in the sanctuary for the kings of the house of David.
6. Request the welfare of Jerusalem; may those who love you enjoy tranquility.	6. Seek the welfare of Jerusalem; those who love you will dwell in tranquility.
7. May there be peace in your wall, tranquility in your palaces.	7. Let there be peace in your armies, tranquility in your citadels.
8. For the sake of my brethren and my companions, I shall now speak of peace in you.	8. On account of my brothers and companions, I will now speak in you of peace.
9. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I shall beg for goodness for you.	9. Because of the sanctuary of the LORD our God, I will seek to do good to you.
1. A song of ascents. To You I lifted up my eyes, You Who dwell in heaven.	1. A song that was uttered on the ascents of the abyss. Before You I have lifted up my eyes, You who sit on a throne of glory in heaven.
2. Behold, as the eyes of slaves to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a handmaid to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes to the Lord our God, until He favors us.	2. Behold, as the eyes of menservants, on one side, watch at the hands of their masters; and as the eyes of maidservants, on the other side, watch at the hands of their mistresses; thus our eyes watch in the presence of the LORD our God for the time when He will show compassion to us.
3. Favor us, O Lord, favor us, for we are fully sated with contempt.	3. Have compassion on us, O LORD, have compassion on us; for we have had too much of contempt.
4. Our soul is fully sated with the ridicule of the complacent, the contempt [shown] to the valley of doves.	4. Our soul has had too much of scorn, for the arrogant and proud are at ease.

Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) 120:1-7; 121:1-8; 122:1-9; & 123:1-4

Chapter 120

1 A song of ascents which the Levites will recite on the fifteen steps that go down from the Israelites’ court to the Women’s court, and there are fifteen psalms entitled “A song of ascents” (Suc. 5:4, Mid 2:5). And our Rabbis said that David composed them to raise the deep, as is explained in Tractate Succah (53a). And according to the Aggadah (Yerushalmi Sanh. 10:2, 52b), it is to be interpreted: A song for a hundred steps (שיר למאה עולות) .

2 from false lips The arm of those who hunt people with their mouth with wicked accusations.

3 What can He give you [What can] the Holy One, blessed be He [give you]?

and what can He add to you [What] safeguard and walls? Behold you are placed within two walls.

4 Sharpened arrows of a mighty man Behold you kill in a distant place like an arrow.

with coals of brooms All coals, when extinguished on the outside, are extinguished on the inside, but these extinguish themselves on the outside but not on the inside (ibid.). Another explanation: What will He give you? What is the Holy One, blessed be He, destined to decree upon you? Arrows of a mighty man with coals of brooms. His arrows from above and Gehinnom from below.

5 Woe is to me says the congregation of Israel, for I have already suffered in many exiles. Behold I sojourned in Meshech with the sons of Japheth in the kingdom of Persia, Greece, and Meshech.

7 I am at peace With them.

but when I speak peacefully with them, they come to wage war with me.

Chapter 121

1 A song for ascents The simple meaning is that when the Levites began to ascend the steps, they recited this song. Although this song is not written first, there is no chronological sequence. (In other books I found:)

A song for ascents [The Psalmist] alludes, in the second psalm, to the steps that ascend for the righteous/generous in the future from beneath the tree of life to the Throne of Glory, as we learned in Sifrei (Ekev 47): “It does not say here, ‘A song of ascents’ but, ‘A song for ascents’; a song for the One Who is destined to make ascents for the righteous/generous in the future.” This is what the Kalir established (in the concluding poem of the morning service for the second day of Succoth, which was composed by Rabbi Elazar the son of Rabbi Simon the son of Yochai in Chagigah, chapter “We may not expound,” see there): “And from beneath them thirty steps, one above the other until the Throne of Glory, flying and ascending with the pleasant speech of the song of ascents.”

Chapter 122

1 I rejoiced when they said to me I heard people saying, “When will that old man die, and his son Solomon reign and build the Temple, and we shall go up on the festival pilgrimages?” And I am happy.

2 Our feet were standing in battle everywhere because of the gates of Jerusalem, where they were engaged in Torah.

3 The built-up Jerusalem When my son Solomon builds the Temple within it [Jerusalem], it will be built with the Shechinah, the Temple, the Ark, and the altar.

is like a city that was joined together within itself Like Shiloh, for Scripture compared them to one another, as it is said (Deut. 12:9): “to the rest and to the inheritance.” The rest is Shiloh. The inheritance is Jerusalem (see Sifrei Re’eh 66). And our Rabbis said (Ta’an. 5a): There is a Jerusalem in heaven, and the Jerusalem on earth is destined to be like it.

4 There ascended the tribes For there in Shiloh the tribes ascended when they went up from Egypt, and the Tabernacle was established in its midst.

the tribes of God Heb. יָ־הּ , which is testimony to Israel, for the heathens were talking about them when they left Egypt, and they would say about them that they were the offspring of adulterous unions. If the Egyptians ruled over their own bodies, surely [they ruled] over their wives. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “I attest that they are the sons of their fathers.” He bestowed His name upon them: the Reubenites (הראובני) , the Simeonites (השמעוני) (Num. 26). He added the letters of the name, one on this side and one on that side. The result is that this name יָ־הּ is testimony to Israel.

5 For there were set thrones, etc. For also in Jerusalem the Shechinah will rest, and thrones will sit there upon which to judge the nations, and the royal thrones of the house of David.

6 Request the welfare of Jerusalem and say to her, “May those who love you enjoy tranquility, and let there be peace in your wall.”

8 For the sake of Israel, my brethren and my companions

I shall now speak I, King David, [shall now speak] of peace in you.

Chapter 123

1 Who dwell Heb. הישבי .The “yud” is superfluous.

4 the ridicule of the complacent [With] the ridicule of the complacent heathens we are sated.

the contempt that they despised the valley of doves, which is Jerusalem.

the complacent Heb. לגאיונים . It is written as one word and read as two.

Meditation from the Psalms

Psalm 120:1-7; 121:1-8; 122:1-9; & 123:1-4

By: HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

These four Psalms were written by an unknown author, according to Rabbi Saadiah,^[1] as were all fifteen of the Psalms of Ascent. Others assert that these Psalms were written by King David or King Solomon.[2] The Talmud, however, tells us that these fifteen Psalms were composed by King David:

Sukkah 53a FIFTEEN STEPS. R. Hisda said to a certain Rabbi who was arranging his Aggadas before him, ‘Have you heard in correspondence to what David composed his fifteen Songs of Ascent?’ — ‘Thus’, the other replied, ‘said R. Johanan: When David dug the Pits the Deep rose up and threatened to submerge the world, and David thereupon uttered the fifteen Songs of Ascent and caused its waves to subside’.

The Talmud teaches that King David wrote these Psalms because there was a significant lowering of the water level of the earth when he dug some pits in preparation for the building of the Temple. He composed these Psalms in order to cause the water to ascend to a proper level so that the earth would be properly watered.

Psalms 120 through 134 are collectively known as the Psalms of ascent. Many interpretations have been given for these ambiguous words. Here are a few of them:[3]

a) In the Holy Temple courtyard, there was an ultra-wide stairway that consisted of fifteen large, semi-circular steps that "ascended" into the inner section of the courtyard. The Levites, whose job it was to accompany the Temple service with song and instrumental music, would stand on these steps and sing these fifteen psalms.

b) These psalms were sung on a high "ascendant" musical note.

c) These psalms were sung starting in a low tone of voice and steadily ascending to a higher one.

d) These psalms were sung by the Jews who ascended from Babylon to Israel in the times of Ezra the Scribe.

e) These psalms were sung by the Jews when they would "ascend" to visit the Holy Temple three times annually for the festivals.

f) These psalms praise, exult and "elevate" G‑d.

g) The Talmud[4] gives an aggadaic explanation:

"When King David was digging the Shitin [a stream that ran beneath the Holy Temple, into which the wine libations were poured], the water of the depths arose and threatened to flood the world. David said, 'Is there someone who knows whether it is permitted to write [G‑d's] name on an earthenware shard and we will throw it into the depths and it will subside?' … Ahitophel responded, 'It is permitted.' [David] wrote the name on earthenware and threw it into the depths. The depths receded 16,000 cubits. When he saw that it receded greatly, he said, 'The higher the depths, the moister is the ground [which benefits agriculture].' He said the fifteen [songs of] ascents, and the depths rose 15,000 cubits."

The verbal tally between the Torah and the Psalm is mishpat - משפת, which is translated as judgment. We find this in:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:18-19 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which HaShem thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Tehillim (Psalms) 122:5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Rabbi Isaac Luria[5] wrote that the judgment that began on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is completed some three months later, during the days of Chanukah, and specifically on the eighth day of Chanukah. Since we are reading these Psalms a few days after the end of Chanukah, then we can see that our verbal tally (judgment) presents as an allusion to the judgment that has just concluded.

Curiously, the format of Psalm 120 is the structure of a menorah. The psalm contains an introduction (verse 1): A cry to the Lord in time of trouble; a first part (verses 2-4): An appeal for deliverance from a deceitful tongue; and a second part (verses 5-7): A complaint against him who hates peace.[6]

‘v.2 – v.4’ ‘v.1’ ‘v.5 – v.7’

This provides a second allusion to Chanukah where the miracle concerned the cruze of oil for the menorah, which was enough for one day, yet it burned for eight days.

Psalm 121 is the only one of the Psalms of Ascent which begins ‘shir lamaalot’ whereas the other fourteen Psalms begins with ‘shir hamaalot’. Psalm 121 is also a part of the Sephardic siddur for shacharit on Shabbat. According to the Midrash Shocher Tov,^[7] this Psalm alludes to Israel’s ultimate victory in the time of the Mashiach, as foretold in Obadiah 1:21: Those who save will ascend Mount Zion to judge Esau’s mountain, and the kingdom will be HaShem’s. Once Israel ascends these heights, they will never again descend to exile and bondage. When our Torah portion, in Debarim 17:14, speaks of the appointment of a King, no one doubts that this is ultimately speaking of Mashiach ben David.^[8] He will be our king during the time spoken about by our Psalm.

Ibn Ezra teaches that Psalm 122 was composed specifically for the Levites to sing in the Temple after it was constructed.[9] This Psalm teaches us some deep insights into Jerusalem. This mystical city is unlike any other. Because it is situated in the center of Israel, from east to west and from north to south, Jerusalem is the ultimate place of connection. It shares this centeredness with the mid-brain, the heart, and the womb / prostrate, and just as those organs are essential to life, so also is Jerusalem essential to life.

Psalm 123 concerns the dismal galut (exile) experience of the Jews.[10] Here, too, our Torah portion speaks, in 17:14, about a time when we will enter The Land and our exile will end. When this king (Mashiach ben David) will do as the Torah commands, then we will see the end of this long and miserable galut.

Aslamatah: Isaiah 56:1-9 + 57:19

RASHI	TARGUM
1. ¶ So says the Lord, "Keep justice and practice righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My benevolence to be revealed."	1. Thus says the LORD: "Keep judgment and do righteousness/generosity, for My salvation is near to come, and My virtue to be revealed.
2. Fortunate is the man who will do this and the person who will hold fast to it, he who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it and guards his hand from doing any evil.	2. Blessed is the man who will do this, and a son of man who will hold it fast, who will keep the Sabbath from profaning it, and will keep his hands from doing any evil. "
3. Now let not the foreigner who joined the Lord, say, "The Lord will surely separate me from His people," and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."{P}	3. Let not a son of Gentiles who has been added to the people of the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from His people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am like a dry tree."
4. ¶ For so says the Lord to the eunuchs who will keep My Sabbaths and will choose what I desire and hold fast to My covenant,	4. For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep the days of the Sabbaths that are mine, who are pleased with the things I wish and hold fast to My covenants,
5. "I will give them in My house and in My walls a place and a name, better than sons and daughters; an everlasting name I will give him, which will not be discontinued.{S}	5. I will give them in My sanctuary and within the land of My Shekhinah’s house a place and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not cease.
6. And the foreigners who join with the Lord to serve Him and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who observes the Sabbath from profaning it and who holds fast to My covenant.	6. And the sons of the Gentiles who have been added to the people of the LORD, to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants, everyone who will keep the Sabbath from profaning it, and hold fast to My covenants-
7. I will bring them to My holy mount, and I will cause them to rejoice in My house of prayer, their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.	7. these I will bring to the holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their holy sacrifices will even go up for [My] pleasure on My altar; for My sanctuary will be a house of prayer for all the peoples.
8. So says the Lord God, Who gathers in the dispersed of Israel, I will yet gather others to him, together with his gathered ones.	8. Thus says the LORD God who is about to gather the outcasts of Israel, I will yet bring near their exiles, to gather them."
9. All the beasts of the field, come to devour all the beasts in the forest.{P}	9. All the kings of the peoples who were gathered to distress you, Jerusalem, will be cast in your midst; they will be food for the beasts of the field-every beast of the forest will eat to satiety from them.
10. ¶ His lookouts are all blind, they do not know, dumb dogs who cannot bark; they lie slumbering, loving to slumber.	10. All their watchmen are blind, they are all without any knowledge; dumb dogs, they cannot bark; slumbering, laying down, loving to sleep.
11. And the dogs are of greedy disposition, they know not satiety; and they are shepherds who know not to understand; they all turned to their way, each one to his gain, every last one.	11. The dogs have a strong appetite; they do not know satiety. And they who do evil do not know [how] to understand; they have all gone into exile, each his own way, each to plunder the mammon of Israel.
12. "Come, I will take wine, and let us guzzle old wine, and tomorrow shall be like this, [but] greater [and] much more."	12. They say, "Come, and let us guzzle wine, let us be drunk with old wine; and our feast of tomorrow will be better than this days, very great."
1. The righteous man has perished, but no one takes it to heart, and men of kindness are taken away, with no one understanding that because of the evil the righteous man has been taken away.	1. The righteous/generous die, and no one lays My fear to heart; and men of recompenses of mercy are gathered, while they do not understand. For from before the evil which is about to come the righteous/generous are gathered,
2. He shall come in peace; they shall rest in their resting- place, whoever walks in his uprightness.{S}	2. they will enter into peace; they will rest in the place of their bedroom who perform His Law.
3. And you, draw near hither, children of sorcery; children who commit adultery, and played the whore.	3. But you, draw near hither, people of the generation whose deeds are evil, whose plant was from a holy plant, and they are adulterers and harlots.
4. On whom will you [rely to] enjoy yourselves; against whom do you open your mouth wide; against whom do you stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, seed of falsehood?	4. Of whom are you making sport? And before whom will you open your mouth and continue speaking great things? Are you not children of a rebel, the offspring of deceit,
5. You who inflame yourselves among the terebinths, under every green tree, who slaughter the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks.	5. You who serve idols under every green tree and sacrifice children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
6. Of the smooth [stones] of the valley is your portion; they, they are your lot; to them too you have poured out libations, offered up sacrifices; in the face of these shall I relent?	6. Among the smooth rock of the valley is your portion; even there they are your lot; to them you have poured out drink offerings, you have brought offerings. Will My Memra repent for these things?
7. On a high and lofty mountain you placed your couch; there too you went to slaughter sacrifices.	7. Upon a high and lofty mountain you have set the place of your camping, and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8. And behind the door and the doorpost you have directed your thoughts, for while with Me, you uncovered [us] and went up, you widened your couch and made for yourself [a covenant] with them; you loved their couch, you chose a place.	8. Behind the door and the doorpost you have set the symbol of your idols; you resembled a woman who was beloved by her husband and strayed after strangers, you have made wide the place of your camping; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved the place of their bedroom, you have chosen a place.
9. And you brought a gift to the king with oil, and you increased your perfumes; and you sent your ambassadors far off, and you humbled them to the grave.	9. When you performed the Law for yourself, you prospered in the kingdom, and when you multiplied for yourself deeds, your armies were many; you sent your messengers far off, and humbled the strong ones of the peoples to Sheol.
10. With the length of your way you became wearied; you did not say, "Despair." The power of your hand you found; therefore, you were not stricken ill.	10. In the length of your ways you promised to repent; you increased many possessions, and so you did not hope to repent.
11. And whom did you dread and fear, that you failed, and you did not remember Me; you did not lay [Me] to your heart. Indeed, I am silent and from everlasting, but you do not fear Me.	11. Whom did you dread and before whom [do you] fear, so that you continued to speak lies, and did not remember My service, did not lay My fear upon your heart? Have I not given you respite for a long time, that if you repented - and before Me you did not repent?
12. I tell your righteousness and your deeds, and they shall not avail you.	12. I have told you that good deeds are virtues for you, but you increased for yourself evil deeds which will not profit you.
13. When you cry out, let your collections save you; wind shall carry all of them off, a breath shall take them, but he who trusts in Me shall inherit the land and shall inherit My holy mount.	13. Cry out, if now the deeds of your deceit with which you were laboring from your childhood will deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, they will be for nothing. But he who trusts in My Memra will possess the land, and will inherit My holy mountain.
14. And he shall say, "Pave, pave, clear the way; remove the obstacles from the way of My people."{S}	14. And he will say, "Teach, and exhort, turn the heart of the people to a correct way, remove the obstruction of the wicked from the way of the congregation of my people."
15. For so said the High and Exalted One, Who dwells to eternity, and His name is Holy, "With the lofty and the holy ones I dwell, and with the crushed and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the crushed.	15. For thus says the high and lofty One who dwells in the heavens, whose name is Holy; in the height He dwells, and his Shekhinah is holy. He promises to deliver the broken in heart and the humble of spirit, to establish the spirit of the humble, and to help the heart of the broken.
16. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be wroth to eternity, when a spirit from before Me humbles itself, and souls [which] I have made.	16. For I will not so avenge forever, nor will My anger always be (so); for I am about to restore the spirits of the dead, and the breathing beings I have made.
17. For the iniquity of his thievery I became wroth, and I smote him, I hid Myself and became wroth, for he went rebelliously in the way of his heart.	17. Because of the sins of their mammon, which they robbed, My anger was upon them, I smote them, removed my Shekhinah from them and cast them out; I scattered their exiles because they went astray after the fantasy of their heart.
18. I saw his ways and I will heal him, and I will lead him and requite with consolations him and his mourners.	18. The way of their repentance is disclosed before Me, and I will forgive them; I will have compassion on them and requite them with consolations, and those who mourn them.
19. [I] create the speech of the lips; peace, peace to the far and to the near," says the Lord, "and I will heal him."	19. The one who creates speech of lips in the mouth of every man says, Peace will be done for the righteous/generous, who have kept My Law from the beginning, and peace will be done for the penitent, who have repented to My Law recently, says the LORD; and I will forgive them.
20. But the wicked are like the turbulent sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mud and dirt.	20. But the wicked are like the tossing sea which seeks to rest and it cannot, and its waters disturb mire and dirt.
21. "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."{P}	21. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked."

Rashi’s Commentary on Isaiah 56:1-9 + 57:19

Chapter 56

2 who will do this who observes the Sabbath, etc.

3 “The Lord will surely separate me from His people,” Why should I become converted? Will not the Holy One, blessed be He, separate me from His people when He pays their reward.

Let not the eunuch say Why should I better my ways and my deeds? I am like a withered tree, for lack of remembrance.

4 and hold fast Heb. וּמַחֲזִיקִים , and hold fast.

7 for all peoples Not only for Israel, but also for the proselytes.

8 I will yet gather of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] of the nations) who will convert and join them.

(together with his gathered ones In addition to the gathered ones of Israel.)

9 All the beasts of the field All the proselytes of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] All the nations) come and draw near to Me, and you shall devour all the beasts in the forest, the mighty of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] the mighty of the nations) who hardened their heart and refrained from converting.

the beasts of the field [The beast of the field is not as strong as the beast of the forest.] The beast of the field is weaker and of weaker strength than the beast of the forest. Since he stated, “I will yet gather others to him,” he stated this verse.

10 His lookouts are all blind Since he said, “Seek the Lord,” and the entire section, and they do not heed, he returns and says, Behold the prophets cry out to them ([Mss.:] to you) and announce concerning repentance, so that it will be good for them. Yet their leaders are all like blind men, and they do not see the results, like a lookout appointed to see the approaching army, to warn the people, but he is blind, unable to see whether the army is coming, and dumb, unable to warn the people, like a dog that was appointed to guard the house, but he is dumb, unable to bark. Similarly, the leaders of Israel do not warn them to repent to do good.

they lie slumbering Heb. הֽזִים . Dunash (Teshuvoth Dunash p. 24) explained: lying sound asleep, and Jonathan rendered: lying slumbering, and there is no comparable word in Scripture.

11 And the dogs are of greedy disposition wanting to fill their stomachs [engrote talent in O.F.], sick with hunger.

and they are shepherds Just as the dogs know no satiety, neither do the shepherds know to understand what will occur at the end of days. they all turned to the way of their benefit, each one to his gain, to rob the rest of the people over whom they are appointed.

every last one Heb. מִקָּצֵהוּ , [lit. from its end.] Comp. (Gen. 19:4) “all the people from the end (מִקָּצֶה) ,” from one end of their number until its other end, they all behave in this manner.

12 Come, I will take wine So would they say to one another.

and tomorrow shall be like this with feasting and drinking.

Chapter 57

1 The righteous/generous man such as Josiah.

but no one takes it to heart why he departed.

with no one understanding what the Holy One, blessed be He, saw to take him away.

that because of the evil destined to befall the generation, the righteous man perished.

2 He shall come in peace for so says the Holy One, blessed be He, Let this righteous man come to his forefathers in peace, and let him not see the evil.

they shall rest in their resting place when the evil occurs, he who was walking נְכֽחוֹ , in his uprightness. Comp. (Amos 3:10) “To act rightly (נְכֽחָה) .”

3 And you, draw near hither The survivors after the righteous have departed, and receive your sentences.

children of sorcery Heb. עֽנְנָה בְּנֵי , children of sorcery.

children who commit adultery That the male commits adultery.

and played the whore the female.

4 On whom will you [rely to] enjoy yourselves Since you have turned away from following Me, on whom will you rely to enjoy yourselves with good. Had you merited, you would then enjoy yourselves with the Lord, but now, on whom will you rely to enjoy yourselves?

against whom do you open your mouth wide when you scorned and mocked His prophets.

5 You who inflame yourselves among the terebinths Who stimulate themselves with semen under the אֵלִים , they are the terebinth and the oak.

who slaughter the children for a sacrifice to the idols.

clefts Heb. סְעִפֵי , the clefts of the rocks. Comp. (Jud. 15:11) “to the cleft (סְעִיף) of the rock.”

6 Of the smooth [stones] of the valley [Lit. of the smooth ones of the valley, i.e.,] among the smooth stones that are in the valley.

your portion With them they will stone you.

they, they are your lot to be saddened with them. Why? For to them too you have poured out libations.

in the face of these shall I relent from doing harm to you?

7 you placed your couch The couch of your adultery to idolatry on the high mountains.

8 And behind the door and the doorpost you have directed your thoughts Since he compares her to an adulterous woman, for whom her paramours look and wait before the door of her house, while she, lying beside her husband, directs her heart and her thoughts to the door and the doorpost, how she will open the door and come out to them.

for while with Me, you uncovered [us] and went up You were lying beside Me, and you removed the cover with which we were covered together, and you went up from beside Me.

you widened your couch to accommodate many adulterers.

and made for yourself a covenant with them.

you loved their couch when you chose for yourself יָד , a place, to demonstrate to them your love.

a place Heb. יָד , aise or ajjse in O.F., a side. Comp. (II Sam. 14:30) “See Joab’s field is near mine (עַל יָדִי) .”

9 And you brought a gift to the king with oil Heb. וַתָּשֻׁרִי . Originally, I aggrandized you, and you would greet your king with all sorts of delights. וַתָּשֻׁרִי is an expression of an audience. Comp. (Num. 24:17) “I see him (אֲשׁוּרֶנוּ) but he is not near.” [Also] (I Sam. 9:7), “And there is no present (תְּשׁוּרָה) to bring,” [i.e.,] a gift for an audience.

and you sent your ambassadors Your messenger afar to collect tribute from the heathen kings. ([Manuscripts and K’li Paz read:] the kings of the nations.)

and you humbled the laws of the heathens (of the nations [Mss. and K’li Paz]) to the grave. Jonathan rendered it in this manner.

10 With the length of your way you became wearied You engaged in your necessities, in the filling of your lust, to increase your wealth.

you did not say, “Despair.” I will despair of these and I will no longer care to engage in them, but I will pay my attention to Torah and precepts.

The power of your hand you found Heb. חַיַּת , the necessity of your hand you have found; you have succeeded in your deeds.

therefore, you were not stricken ill Your heart was not stricken ill to worry about My service, to engage in the Torah. חַיַּת is an Arabic word, meaning necessity.

11 And whom did you dread Of whom were you afraid?

that you failed Heb. תְּכַזֵּבִי , that you ceased to worship Me and you betrayed Me. Comp. (infra 58:11) “Whose water shall not fail (יְכַזְּבוּ) .” Comp. also (Psalms 116:11) “Every man is a traitor (כּֽזֵב) .” Falajjnc in O.F., to fail. Likewise, every expression of כָּזָב means one upon whom people rely, and he fails and betrays them. Indeed, I am silent I kept silent in the face of many transgressions that you transgressed against Me.

12 I tell your righteousness Constantly, I tell you things to do, so that you will be righteous/generous.

and your deeds that you do against My will shall not avail you at the time of your distress.

13 When you cry out, let your collections save you Let the collection of your idols and your graven images [and those who deny the Torah] that you collected, rise and save you when you cry out from your distress. Indeed, wind will carry all of them off, and they will not rise, neither will they be able to save.

14 And he shall say, “Pave, pave” So will the prophet say in My name to My people, “Pave, pave a paved highway, clear away the evil inclination from your ways.”

remove the obstacle Remove the stones upon which your feet stumble; they are wicked thoughts.

15 “With the lofty and the holy ones” I dwell, and thence I am with the crushed and the humble in spirit, upon whom I lower My Presence.

humble...crushed Suffering from poverty and illnesses.

16 For I will not contend forever If I bring afflictions upon a person, My contention with him is not for a long time, neither is My anger forever.

when a spirit from before Me humbles itself Heb. יַעֲטוֹף . When the spirit of man, which is from before Me, humbles itself, confesses and humbles itself because of its betrayal. Comp. (Lam. 2:19) “humbled (הָעֲטוּפִים) with hunger,” “when the small child and the suckling are humbled (בֵּעָטֵף) .” And the souls which I made.

when a spirit from before Me Heb. כִּי . This instance of the word כִּי is used as an expression of “when.” Comp. (infra 58:7) “When you see (כִּי תִרְאֶה) ”; (Deut. 26:1) “When you come (כִּי תָבוֹא) .” That is to say, when his spirit is humbled, and he is humbled, I terminate My quarrel and My anger from upon him.

17 For the iniquity of his thievery Heb. בִּצְעוֹ , his thievery.

I became wroth at the beginning and I smote him, always hiding My face from his distress and I was wroth for he went rebelliously in the way of his heart. Transpose the verse and explain it thus: For the iniquity of his thievery and the fact that he went rebelliously in the way of his heart, I became wroth and smote him.

18 I saw his ways when he humbled himself before Me, when troubles befell him.

and I will heal him, and I will lead him Heb. וְאַנְחֵהוּ . I will lead him in the way of healing. Alternatively, וְאַנְחֵהוּ is an expression of rest and tranquility.

him and his mourners to those who are troubled over him.

19 [I] create the speech of the lips I create for him a new manner of speech. In contrast to the trouble that befell him, and everyone was degrading him, they will call, “Peace, peace.”

to the far and to the near Both are equal; he who aged and was accustomed to My Torah and My worship from his youth, and he who drew near now, just recently to repent of his evil way. Said the Lord, “I will heal him of his malady and of his sins.”

20 But the wicked who do not give a thought to repent.

like the turbulent sea This sea its waves raise themselves high and strive to go out of the boundary of sand that I made as a boundary for the sea, and when it reaches there, against its will it breaks. The next wave sees all this, yet does not turn back. Similarly, the wicked man sees his friend being punished for his wickedness; yet he does not turn back. Also, just as the sea has its mud and its offensive matter on its mouth, [i.e., on its surface,] so do the wicked have their offensive matter in their mouth; e.g., Pharaoh said, (Exodus 5:2) “Who is the Lord?” Sennacherib said (supra 36:20), “Who are they among all the Gods of the lands...?” Nebuchadnezzar said, (supra 14:14) “I will liken myself to the Most High.”

like the turbulent sea Like the sea, which is turbulent, that casts up all day mud and dirt.

21 There is no peace In contrast to what he said to the righteous and the repentant, “Peace, peace to the far, etc.,” he returned and said, “There is no peace for the wicked.”

In The School of the Prophets

Isaiah 56:1-9 + 57:19

By: Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

As usual, our Prophetic Lesson for this Sabbath in the Hebrew text extends along three Petuchot (Closed Paragraphs) – the first starting in Isaiah 56:1 and concluding at Isaiah 56:3, the second Petucha (Closed Paragraph) starts in Isaiah 56:4 until verse 9 (with a section brake at 56:5); and the third Petucha (Closed Paragraph) starts in Isaiah 56:10 and concluding in 57:21 (with section breaks at 57:1, and 57:13). However, our Sages full of compassion for the congregation stipulated that for public reading from the Teba (pulpit) we should only read from the Prophets ten verses (Isaiah 56:1-9 and 57:19). This of course, does not limit the preacher to refer or use in the course of his homily (sermon) from Isaiah 56:1 through to 57:19. In fact some of the most interesting parts of this Ashlamatah (Lesson from the Prophets) are not read in public this week.

The verbal tally between our Torah Seder and Ashlamatah (Lesson from the Prophets) is as follows:

Deuteronomy 16:18 -

שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, תִּתֶּן-לְךָ בְּכָל-שְׁעָרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ, לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ; וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת-הָעָם, מִשְׁפַּט-צֶדֶק.

Judges and officers will you make for yourself in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, tribe by tribe; and they will judge the people with righteous/generous judgment.

Isaiah 56:1 -

כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, שִׁמְרוּ מִשְׁפָּט וַעֲשׂוּ צְדָקָה:  כִּי-קְרוֹבָה יְשׁוּעָתִי לָבוֹא, וְצִדְקָתִי לְהִגָּלוֹת.

Thus says the LORD: Keep justice, and do righteousness/generosity; for My salvation is near to come, and My favour to be revealed.

Also the terms שֹׁפְטִים – Shof’tim (judges), and וְשָׁפְטוּ – V’Shaf’tu (and they will judge) in the Torah Seder are related to the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט – Mishpat (justice) in our Ashlamatah.

Psalm 122:3-5 continues this line of thought when it speaks about in v.5 - כִסְאוֹת לְמִשְׁפָּט – Kis’ot L’Mishpat (Thrones of Justice).

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
3. The built-up Jerusalem is like a city that was joined together within itself.	3. Jerusalem that is built in the firmament is like a city that has been joined together on earth.
4. There ascended the tribes, the tribes of God, testimony to Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.	4. Unto which the tribes have gone up, the tribes of the LORD, He who testifies to Israel that His presence abides among them when they go to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5. For there were set thrones for judgment, thrones for the house of David.	5. For there thrones have been placed; in Jerusalem thrones are in the sanctuary for the kings of the house of David.

This Sabbath in Isaiah 57:14 it is written:

RASHI	TARGUM
14. And he shall say, "Pave, pave, clear the way; remove the obstacles from the way of My people."{S}	14. And he will say, "Teach, and exhort, turn the heart of the people to a correct way, remove the obstruction of the wicked from the way of the congregation of my people."

The reading of the Targum to Isiah 57:14, not only describes the role of the Prophet as Rashi states but equally important it also describes the role of a Judge and Officer described in our Torah Seder! The English term best befitting these roles and attributes would be an “enabler” or “facilitator.” Thus, the role of a judge or a prophet is to “facilitate” and/or “enable” to follow a correct walk/way. But this also brings a tremendous responsibility to those judged or guided, as our Torah Seder in Deut. 17:10-13 states:

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
10. And you shall do according to the word they tell you, from the place the Lord will choose, and you shall observe to do according to all they instruct you.	10. Then will you do according to the word of the custom of the Law that they will show you at the place the LORD will choose, and observe to do whatsoever they teach you.
11. According to the law they instruct you and according to the judgment they say to you, you shall do; you shall not divert from the word they tell you, either right or left.	11. According to the word of the Law that they will teach you, and the manner of judgment they pronounce, you will do. You will not turn aside from the sentence they will show you, to the right or to the left.
12. And the man who acts intentionally, not obeying the kohen who stands there to serve the Lord, your God, or to the judge that man shall die, and you shall abolish evil from Israel.	12. And the man who will act with presumption, and not obey the judge or the priest who stands there to minister before the LORD your God, that man will be put to death; so will you put down the doer of evil from Israel,
13. And all the people shall listen and fear, and they shall no longer act wantonly.	13. and all the people will hear, and be afraid, and not do wickedly again.

Similarly, this week in our Nazarean Talmud Hakham Shaul admonishes:

Romans 13:1-10[11] Let every [gentile] soul be subject to the governing authorities [of the Jewish Synagogue]. For there is no [legitimate] authority except [that of the Jewish Bet Din] from God, and the authorities [of the Bet Din] that exist are appointed by God. ²Therefore whoever resists the authority [of the Bet Din] resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment (of the heavens) upon themselves. ³For the Rulers [of the Synagogue][12] are not a terror to good works (acts of righteousness/ generosity), but to (those who do) evil. Do you want to (be) irreverent to the authority [of the Bet Din]? Do what is beneficial, and you will have praise from the same. ⁴For he (the Chazan)[13] is God's servant to you for what is beneficial. But if you do that which is unprofitable, be afraid; for he (the Chazan)[14] does not bear the circumcision knife[15] in vain; for he is God's minister (Deputy of the Bet Din), avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. ⁵Therefore you must be subject (obey), not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. ⁶For this reason, the servants of G-d (Parnasim) are devoted to collections of dues. ⁷Pay all their dues: revenues to whom revenues are due, reverence to whom reverence (to the bench of three), fear[16] to whom fear, honor to (the Parnasim) whom honor (are due the honor of their office). ⁸Owe no one anything except to love[17] one another (following the guidance of the Masoret), for he who loves another has accomplished (the intent of) the Torah. ⁹For the commandments, "You will not commit adultery," "You will not murder," "You will not steal," "You will not bear false witness," "You will not covet," and if there is any other [negative] commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You will love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁰Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the summation (intent) of the Torah.

A Hakham/Torah Judge who errs in judgment is required of G-d to pay an extremely high price, but equally a person who disobeys the counsel of a Hakham/Torah Judge is said to be acting “presumptuously” and therefore, merits the death penalty and nowadays this death penalty is executed at the hands of G-d, most blessed be He! The High Priest who erred grossly in the judgment of His Majesty King Messiah Yeshua, and Pilate who again committed a great injustice in the judgment of the Master, both in the end died from horrific deaths, and further the Kohanim lost completely and forever their priesthood, and Israel their physical Temple as it is said in Isaiah 56:10-11:

¹⁰¶ His lookouts are all blind, they do not know, dumb dogs who cannot bark; they lie slumbering, loving to slumber. ¹¹And the dogs are of greedy disposition, they know not satiety; and they are shepherds who know not to understand; they all turned to their way, each one to his gain, every last one.

And on this, Rashi comments:

And the dogs are of greedy disposition wanting to fill their stomachs [engrote talent in O.F.], sick with hunger.

and they are shepherds Just as the dogs know no satiety, neither do the shepherds know to understand what will occur at the end of days. they all turned to the way of their benefit, each one to his gain, to rob the rest of the people over whom they are appointed.

This Sabbath we also read in the P’shat of Mark:

Mar 15:24 And they crucified him and divided his Tallit (prayer mantle) among themselves (Pilate’s cohort) casting lots for who should take it.

First of all, we must say that the Tallit (prayer mantle) of the Master must have been quite expensive since Pilate’s cohort found it to be of such value that they cast lots among themselves as to who should take it. This does away with the idea that a minister can’t own some expensive items used for the service of G-d. It also means that items used for the service of G-d, should be of the very best quality – i.e. the vessels for the Tabernacle/Temple, the robes of the High Priest and Levites, and also a Talit (Prayer Mantle) as described above. For, we are to be walking as the Messiah walked!

Second, the text of Greek Septuagint on Deut. 17:14 as translated by the Apostolic Bible Polyglot with Strong’s Numbers, reads:

Deut. 17:14 And whenever G1437 G1161 you should enter G1525 into G1519 the G3588 land G1093 which G3739 the LORD G2962 G3588 your God G2316 G1473 gives G1325 to you G1473 by G1722 lot G2819, and G2532 you should inherit G2816 it,G1473 and G2532 should dwell G2730 upon G1909 it, G1473 and G2532 you should say, G2036 I shall place G2525 over G1909 myself G1683 a ruler,G758 as G2505 also G2532 the G3588 rest G3062 of the nations G1484 G3588 round about G2945 me;G1473

The Greek word κλῆρος (Kliros) according to the Strong’s Greek Dictionary means:

“Probably from G2806 (through the idea of using bits of wood, etc., for the purpose); a die (for drawing chances); by implication a portion (as if so secured); by extension an acquisition (especially a patrimony, figuratively): - heritage, inheritance, lot, part.”

This same Greek word is used in Mark 15:24 and translated as “casting lots.” And by the logical axiom that what applies in one case to a word, must also apply to the second case in which the same word is used unless it is specifically stated to the contrary. Therefore, if the Tallit of Yeshua was so expensive that it was worth casting lots, how much the more precious and expensive in the eyes of G-d and of men that fear G-d is the land of Greater Israel! Similarly, the Prophet speaks of how precious is the land of Greater Israel:

RASHI	TARGUM
13. When you cry out, let your collections save you; wind shall carry all of them off, a breath shall take them, but he who trusts in Me shall inherit the land and shall inherit My holy mount.	13. Cry out, if now the deeds of your deceit with which you were laboring from your childhood will deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, they will be for nothing. But he who trusts in My Memra will possess the land, and will inherit My holy mountain.

Finally the Prophet in Isaiah 57:19-20 presents us a choice this week:

19. [I] create the speech of the lips; peace, peace to the far and to the near," says the Lord, "and I will heal him."	19. The one who creates speech of lips in the mouth of every man says, Peace will be done for the righteous/generous, who have kept My Law from the beginning, and peace will be done for the penitent, who have repented to My Law recently, says the LORD; and I will forgive them.
20. But the wicked are like the turbulent sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mud and dirt.	20. But the wicked are like the tossing sea which seeks to rest and it cannot, and its waters disturb mire and dirt.

And this Shalom (communal peace/health/wealth) can only be obtained when one takes upon oneself the yoke of the Kingdom of the Messiah and the Yoke of the Commandments. May HaShem, most blessed be He, grant us the courage, integrity, faithfulness, and loving-kidness to do so, amen ve amen!

Verbal Connections

By HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David & HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:18 -18:13

Tehillim (Psalms) 120, 121, 122, 123

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:1-9 + 57:19

Mordechai (Mark) 15:22-28

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:

Make / give / given - נתן, Strong’s number 05414.

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

People - עם, Strong’s number 05871.

Judgment - משפת, Strong’s number 04941.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

Make / give /given - נתן, Strong’s number 05414.

Gates - שער, Strong’s number 08179.

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

G-d - אלהים, Strong’s number 0430.

Tribes - שבט, Strong’s number 07626.

Judgment - משפת, Strong’s number 04941.

Eyes - עין, Strong’s number 05869.

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:18-19 Judges and officers shalt thou make <05414> (8799) thee in all thy gates <08179>, which the LORD <03068> thy God <0430> giveth <05414> (8802) thee, throughout thy tribes <07626>: and they shall judge the people <05971> with just judgment <04941>. 19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment <04941>; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes <05869> of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:1 Thus saith the LORD <03068>, Keep ye judgment <04941>, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD <03068>, speak, saying, The LORD <03068> hath utterly separated me from his people <05971>: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:5 Even unto them will I give <05414> (8804) in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Tehillim (Psalms) 120:1 « A Song of degrees. » In my distress I cried unto the LORD <03068>, and he heard me.

Tehillim (Psalms) 120:3 What shall be given <05414> (8799) unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?

Tehillim (Psalms) 121:1 « A Song of degrees. » I will lift up mine eyes <05869> unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Tehillim (Psalms) 122:2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates <08179>, O Jerusalem.

Tehillim (Psalms) 122:4 Whither the tribes <07626> go up, the tribes <07626> of the LORD <03050>, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD <03068>.

Tehillim (Psalms) 122:5 For there are set thrones of judgment <04941>, the thrones of the house of David.

Tehillim (Psalms) 122:9 Because of the house of the LORD <03068> our God <0430> I will seek thy good.

Hebrew:

Hebrew	English	Torah Seder Deut. 16:18- 18:13	Psalms Psa 120, 121, 122, 123	Ashlamatah Isa 56 1-9 + 57:19
bhea'	love		Ps 122:6	Isa 56:6
xa'	countrymen, brothers, fellows	Deut 17:15 Deut 17:20 Deut 18:2 Deut 18:7	Ps 122:8
lk;a'	eat	Deut 18:1 Deut 18:8		Isa 56:9
~yhil{a/	GOD
rm;a'	say, said	Deut 17:14 Deut 17:16	Ps 122:1	Isa 56:1 Isa 56:3 Isa 56:4 Isa 57:19
#r,a,	land, earth	Deut 16:20 Deut 17:14 Deut 18:9	Ps 121:2
aAB	come, enter, bring	Deut 17:9 Deut 17:14 Deut 18:6 Deut 18:9	Ps 121:1 Ps 121:8	Isa 56:1 Isa 56:7
rx;B'	choose, chosen	Deut 17:8 Deut 17:10 Deut 17:15 Deut 18:5 Deut 18:6		Isa 56:4
tyIB;	house		Ps 122:1 Ps 122:5 Ps 122:9	Isa 56:5 Isa 56:7
.!Be	sons	Deut 17:20 Deut 18:5 Deut 18:10		Isa 56:2 Isa 56:3 Isa 56:5 Isa 56:6
tyrIB.	covenant	Deut 17:2		Isa 56:4 Isa 56:6
tB;	daughter	Deut 18:10		Isa 56:5
rb;D'	promised, speak, say	Deut 18:2	Ps 120:7 Ps 122:8
%l;h'	go, gone	Deut 17:3	Ps 122:1
hNEhi	behold	Deut 17:4	Ps 121:4 Ps 123:2
rh;	mountains		Ps 121:1	Isa 56:7
rb;x'	casts, compact	Deut 18:11	Ps 122:3
dy"	hand	Deut 17:7	Ps 121:5 Ps 123:2	Isa 56:2 Isa 56:5
!ymiy"	right	Deut 17:11 Deut 17:20	Ps 121:5
@s;y"	again, more	Deut 17:16	Ps 120:3
ac'y"	bring, going	Deut 17:5	Ps 121:8
x;rey"	moon	Deut 17:3	Ps 121:6
vr'y"	live, sits, set, enthroned	Deut 17:14 Deut 17:18	Ps 122:5 Ps 123:1
laer'f.yI	Israel	Deut 17:4 Deut 17:12 Deut 17:20 Deut 18:1 Deut 18:6	Ps 121:4 Ps 122:4	Isa 56:8
aSeKi	throne	Deut 17:18	Ps 122:5
x;Bez>mi	altar	Deut 16:21		Isa 56:7
!mi	too, above, throughout, before, than	Deut 17:8 Deut 17:20 Deut 18:6 Deut 18:12		Isa 56:5
![;m;	so, sake	Deut 17:20	Ps 122:8 Ps 122:9
jP'v.mi	judgment	Deut 16:18 Deut 16:19 Deut 17:8 Deut 17:9 Deut 17:11 Deut 18:3	Ps 122:5	Isa 56:1
!t;n"	appoint, give, given	Deut 16:18 Deut 16:20 Deut 17:2 Deut 17:14 Deut 17:15 Deut 18:3 Deut 18:4 Deut 18:9	Ps 120:3 Ps 121:3	Isa 56:5
db,[,	servants		Ps 123:2	Isa 56:6
dA[	again, yet	Deut 17:13		Isa 56:8
~l'A[	forever, everlasting		Ps 121:8	Isa 56:5
!yI[;	eyes	Deut 16:19 Deut 17:2	Ps 121:1 Ps 123:1 Ps 123:2
hl'['	go up	Deut 17:8	Ps 122:4
~[i	before, among	Deut 18:13	Ps 120:5
dm;['	stands	Deut 17:12 Deut 18:5 Deut 18:7	Ps 122:2
#[e	tree	Deut 16:21		Isa 56:3
ar'q'	read, cried, called	Deut 17:19	Ps 120:1	Isa 56:7
la;v'	medium, pray	Deut 18:11	Ps 122:6
jb,ve	tribes	Deut 16:18 Deut 18:1 Deut 18:5	Ps 122:4
~Alv'	peace		Ps 120:6 Ps 120:7 Ps 122:6 Ps 122:7 Ps 122:8	Isa 57:19
~v'	there
~ve	name	Deut 18:5 Deut 18:7	Ps 122:4	Isa 56:5 Isa 56:6
xm;f'	glad, joyful		Ps 122:1	Isa 56:7
~yIm;v'	heaven, heavenly	Deut 17:3	Ps 121:2 Ps 123:1
rm;v'	careful, keeps, keeper	Deut 17:10	Ps 121:3 Ps 121:4 Ps 121:5 Ps 121:7 Ps 121:8	Isa 56:1 Isa 56:2 Isa 56:4 Isa 56:6
vm,v,	sun	Deut 17:3	Ps 121:6
anEf'	hate	Deut 16:22	Ps 120:6
r[;v;	towns, gates	Deut 16:18 Deut 17:2 Deut 17:5 Deut 17:8 Deut 18:6	Ps 122:2
hp'f'	lips		Ps 120:2	Isa 57:19
tr'v'	serve, minister	Deut 17:12 Deut 18:5 Deut 18:7		Isa 56:6
rWG	resides, sojourns	Deut 18:6	Ps 120:5
~[;	people	Deut 16:18 Deut 17:7 Deut 17:13 Deut 17:16 Deut 18:3		Isa 56:3 Isa 56:7
hf'['	make, imitate, do, doing	Deut 16:21 Deut 17:2 Deut 17:4 Deut 17:5 Deut 17:10 Deut 17:11 Deut 17:12 Deut 17:19 Deut 18:9 Deut 18:12	Ps 121:2	Isa 56:1 Isa 56:2
[r'	defect, evil	Deut 17:1 Deut 17:2 Deut 17:5		Isa 56:2
[r'	evil	Deut 17:7 Deut 17:12	Ps 121:7

Greek:

Greek	English	Torah Seder Deut. 16:18- 18:13	Psalms Psa 120, 121, 122, 123	Ashlamatah Isa 56 1-9 + 57:19	NC Mk 15:22-28
αἴρω	lift, lifted, carry		Psa 121:1 Psa 123:1		Mar 15:24
δεξιός	right	Deu 17:11 Deu 17:20	Psa 121:5		Mar 15:27
δίδωμι	give, gives, gave	Deu 16:18 Deu 16:20 Deu 17:2 Deu 17:14 Deu 18:3 Deu 18:4 Deu 18:9	Psa 120:3 Psa 121:3	Isa 56:5	Mar 15:23
δύο	two	Deu 17:6			Mar 15:27
εἷς	one	Deu 17:2 Deu 17:6 Deu 18:6			Mar 15:27
κλῆρος	by lot	Deu 17:14			Mar 15:24
λαμβάνω	take	Deu 16:19			Mar 15:23
λέγω	saying, says		Isa 56:1 Isa 56:3 Isa 56:4		Mar 15:28
οἶνος	wine	Deu 18:4			Mar 15:23
τόπος	place	Deu 17:8 Deu 17:10 Deu 18:6	Isa 56:5		Mar 15:22

Mordechai 120-123

Mordechai 15:22-28

By: HH Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

BESB	GREEK TEXT
Mar 15:22 And they (Pilate’s cohort) brought him (Yeshua) to the place Gilguleth (which is translated "Place of a Skull").	^22 καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ Γολγοθᾶ τόπον ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον Κρανίου Τόπος
Mar 15:23 And they gavehim (Yeshua) wine and myrrh, but he did not take it.	^23 καὶ ἐδίδουν αὐτῷ πιεῖν ἐσμυρνισμένον οἶνον· ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἔλαβεν
Mar 15:24 And they crucified him and divided his Tallit (prayer mantle) among themselves (Pilate’s cohort) casting lots for who should take it.	^24 καὶ σταυρώσαντες αὐτὸν διεμερίζον τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ βάλλοντες κλῆρον ἐπ αὐτὰ τίς τί ἄρῃ
Mar 15:25 Now it was the third hour[18] when they crucified him (Yeshua).	^25 ἦν δὲ ὥρα τρίτη καὶ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτόν
Mar 15:26 And the inscription [in the tablet] of the charge (judgment) against him (Yeshua) was written, "The king of the Jews."	^26 καὶ ἦν ἡ ἐπιγραφὴ τῆς αἰτίας αὐτοῦ ἐπιγεγραμμένη Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων
Mar 15:27 And with him (Yeshua) they crucified two robbers, one on (his Yeshua) right and one on his left.	^27 Καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ σταυροῦσιν δύο λῃστάς ἕνα ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ ἕνα ἐξ εὐωνύμων αὐτοῦ
Mar 15:28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoil with the mighty; because he bared his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isa 53:12)”	^28 καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα, Καὶ μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη.

Delitzsch Hebrew Translation

²² וַיְבִיאוּהוּ אֶל־גָּלְגָּלְתָּא הַמָּקוֹם הוּא מְקוֹם הַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת׃

²³ וַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן מָסוּךְ בְּמֹר וְהוּא לֹא לָקָח׃

²⁴ וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר צָלְבוּ אוֹתוֹ וַיְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדָיו לָהֶם וַיַּפִּילוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גּוֹרָל מַה־יִּקַּח אִישׁ אִישׁ׃

²⁵ וַתְּהִי הַשָּׁעָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית וַיִּצְלְבוּהוּ׃

²⁶ וּמִכְתַּב דְּבַר־אַשְׁמָתוֹ כָּתוּב לְמַעְלָה מֶלֶךְ הַיְּהוּדִים׃

²⁷ וַיִּצְלְבוּ אִתּוֹ שְׁנֵי פָרִיצִים אֶחָד לִימִינוֹ וְאֶחָד לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ׃

²⁸ וַיִּמָּלֵא הַכָּתוּב הָאֹמֵר וְאֶת־פּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה׃

Introduction

Ruth 1:1 AND IT came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-Lechem in Judah went to sojourn in the field of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. ^JPS

The story of Rut as told in the Tanakh could easily lend itself to deeper levels of hermeneutic. However, we will refrain from delving into those interpretations for the sake of Peshat. However, the story of Rut, like Deborah, Judith and Ya’el lends itself to inspirational acts of heroism for the sake of G-d, Torah and Yisrael. Rut’s commitment to Naomi is unprecedented. Unlike here “sister-in-law” Orpah whose name, derived from the root “oreph” means “the back of the neck,” thus implying a turning away. Orpah’s name is also associated with the “gazelle.” This would superficially associate Orpha with Ya’el, “the mountain goat.” The difference being that Ya’el is a heroin like Rut and Orpah, a gentile turns her back and flees like a gazelle. Therefore, the story of Rut suggests that Rut embraced Judaism and Orpah denied it and turned her back to Jewish life and people.

Consequently, Rut is the heroin of incomparable magnitude. Her acceptance of Judaism has caused her to stand as the prototype for all converts. As a convert Rut, embraces the 613 mitzvoth (commandments). The story of Rut, read during the Festival of Shavuot (Pentecost) is a reminder of the intricate part that the 613 mitzvoth (commandments) play in the lives of all those who embrace the covenant. Rut’s name is the equivalent of number 606. When added to the seven laws of Noah Rut embraces the 613 or the whole Torah.

The story of Rut deepens when we realize that she enriches David’s ancestry and by extension, is a progenitor of Messiah. Rut’s marriage to Boaz, a righteous Jewish judge is of further import to us. Herein we see the appropriate union between Jew and Gentile. The Gentile not only embraces the Torah, but also the Oral Torah. Boaz the Judge was skilled in the Torah and the Oral Torah. The story has one other detail I will mention. Naomi was a Jewess and the teacher of Rut. In this, Rut learned to love the Torah and the Oral Torah. What is of premier significance to us is the notion that Rut, as a Gentile convert accepts rabbinic authority. Therefore, we conclude that Rut, a Gentile convert becomes the prototypical model for all Gentile converts and their need for the acceptance of the Jewish judicial system.

Note the opening of our Torah Seder…

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
18. You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities that the Lord, your God, is giving you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment.	18. UPRIGHT judges and efficient administrators you will appoint in all your cities which the LORD your God will give you for your tribes, and they will judge the people with true judgment.
19. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show favoritism, and you shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words.	19. You will not set judgment aside, nor respect persons, nor take a gift, because a gift blinds the eyes of the wise who take it; for it perverts them to foolishness, and confuses equitable words in the mouth of the judges in the hour of their decision
20. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the Lord, your God, is giving you.	20. Upright and perfect judgment in truth will you follow, that you may come to inherit the land which the LORD your God will give you.

We see the theme of the present Torah Seder immediately. The theme is that of just judges. When weighed against our pericope of Mordechai (Mark) we see the antithesis of just judgment. We see that unjust judges in both Gentile and Sadducaic courts have condemned the master to death.

We should ask… How are the Gentile courts to conduct themselves in relation to Jewish courts?

The Nazarean Talmud

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Yoseph ben Haggai has held the thesis that the Nazarean Codicil forms a Nazarene Talmud. Some time ago, I had the privilege of working for the better part of a day trying to align certain texts to their Nazarean counterparts based on His Eminence’s thesis. Of course, every thesis needs a proof. The schedule we built has been briefly tested against a number of verbal tallies. The verbal tallies yielded very positive results, which gave us some confidence that we were accurate in our correlations.

However, this week, as usual I follow a protocol when I initiate my translation of Mordechai and prepare for the notes associated with that translation. After reading the Torah portion and associated readings, I turned to the Nazarean Codicil. When I looked at the chart, which linked the readings of Hakham Shaul, Acts and Romans with our present materials, I was overwhelmed.

The related passages for this part of our Nazarean Talmud are Romans 13:1-10. My translation, with His Eminence’s approbation is as follows…

Romans 13:1-10 Let every [gentile] soul be subject to the governing authorities [of the Jewish Synagogue]. For there is no [legitimate] authority except [that of the Jewish Bet Din] from God, and the authorities [of the Bet Din] that exist are appointed by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authority [of the Bet Din] resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment (of the heavens) upon themselves. ³ For the Rulers [of the Synagogue][19] are not a terror to good works (acts of righteousness/generosity), but to (those who do) evil. Do you want to (be) irreverent to the authority [of the Bet Din]? Do what is beneficial, and you will have praise from the same. ⁴ For he (the Chazan)[20] is God's servant to you for what is beneficial. But if you do that which is unprofitable, be afraid; for he (the Chazan)[21] does not bear the circumcision knife[22] in vain; for he is God's minister (Deputy of the Bet Din), avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore you must be subject (obey), not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. ⁶ For this reason, the servants of G-d (Parnasim) are devoted to collections of dues. ⁷ Pay all their dues: revenues to whom revenues are due, reverence to whom reverence (to the bench of three), fear[23] to whom fear, honor to (the Parnasim) whom honor (are due the honor of their office). ⁸ Owe no one anything except to love[24] one another (following the guidance of the Masoret), for he who loves another has accomplished (the intent of) the Torah. ⁹ For the commandments, "You will not commit adultery," "You will not murder," "You will not steal," "You will not bear false witness," "You will not covet," and if there is any other [negative] commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You will love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁰ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the summation (intent) of the Torah.

We also see a similar idea in the New Moon readings of Hakham Shaul’s letter to the Colossians..

Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore let no one [who is a Gentile] but the body of Messiah (the Jewish people) pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a New Moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷ For these are a shadow (prophecies) of things yet to come.

Hakham Shaul reiterates to the Colossians what he has taught the Romans. We must realize that the above-cited text is to be interpreted from the hermeneutic level of Remez. However, because our commentary and materials are Peshat, we will not delve into the allegorical interpretation of that text. We will review the materials from a historical-critical, Peshat exegesis.

The Gentile Question

While I refer to the incorporation of the Gentile into the community of those who believe Yeshua to be Messiah as the “Gentile Question,” others refer to it as “the Gentile Predicament”[25] and “the Gentile Problem.” I have discussed this concept before. Therefore, I will not elaborate, at length on this subject except as it applies to our present pericope. Lloyd Gaston commenting on a point made by W. D. Davies seems to think that “the Gentile Predicament” was the greatest theological problem of the First century Jews.[26] While it may not have been the principal problem of the first century, it was certainly one of the more problematic. It divided the School of Shammai and Hillel. The Shammaite view seems to have prevailed until Hakham Tsefet,[27] via an extraordinary vision in which he sees that G-d wants to bring “salvation” to the Gentiles.

Jewish/Gentile relations in the first century were of a peculiar nature. Furthermore, they were problematic at best. The Roman administration made life extremely difficult for the Jewish people of Eretz Yisrael. Eretz Yisrael longed for autonomy as we have stated in the past. However, the B’ne Yisrael (children of Israel) had a profound effect on its Roman overlords. Many of the Roman Gentiles, impressed and affected by Jewish religious practice were inspired to conversion or near conversion. Herein lay a GREAT difficulty. Because Yisrael was subordinate to the Roman regime, Synagogue life with Roman attendees was strained to say the least. Furthermore, the situation brought about a role reversal of sorts. The supposed, “Subordinate Jew” now became the master over the Romans. So long, as the Roman was in the Synagogue or in the process of conversion he was subordinate to the Jewish authorities of the Synagogue, as pointed out above in the cited passages from Hakham Shaul’s letter to the Romans. This eventually led to very difficult problems. However, the Romans passage and our story of Rut teach us a powerful lesson. The lesson, in short is that all governments are supposed to be subordinate to Jewish Authorities. And, all attendees of the Synagogue are subjected to the Bench of the Bet Din and its congregation. This is the situation addressed in the Romans passage above. Hakham Shaul, speaking to the Gentiles who have been attending Synagogue states that they are subordinate to Jewish authority. The Seven Noahide Laws teach the Gentiles to have courts of Justice.[28] However, these courts should mimic the Jewish legal system and remain subordinate to Jewish Authority. Any system, that does not use the Torah as its basis for justice, while at the same time being subordinate to Jewish Authority is unacceptable. I realize that these ideas may be foreign to some of our readers. However, this system is the construct for the Theocratic government (i.e. Kingdom of G-d), which will dominate during the Y’mot HaMashiach (Days of the Messiah). The key statement of Hakham Shaul is found in the following words…

Romans 13:4 …But if you do that which is unprofitable, be afraid; for he (the Chazan)[29] does not bear the circumcision knife in vain;

Herein everything is contextualized we can understand the meaning of these verses. The Jewish authorities hold in their power the ability to allow or prohibit circumcision, acceptance of Gentile conversion. We will see below just how important this really is. Interestingly enough, the Greek μάχαιραν holds the idea of contention. This is not always the case with the μάχαιραν, however in our present case the μάχαιραν is the judgment for or against Gentile conversion. The “Servant” who holds the “circumcision knife” is the final authority on ritual circumcision and conversion. The Mohel (circumciser) like the Chazan (cantor) embodies the aspirations and authority of the local congregation and the Bet Din (Jewish court of authority).

In returning, to our pericope and example of case law, the sentencing of the Master by Pilate is the antithesis of the G-d ordained system. This is because this Gentile court does not acknowledge G-d, Torah or Yisrael. One might opine that this court was in Eretz Yisrael. However, the Gentile court which fails to acknowledge G-d as the one and only true G-d will not embrace Torah or acknowledge the Jewish People proper custody of Eretz Yisrael. While this Gentile court played into the wishes of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees), it was never subordinate to an authentic Jewish Bet Din (court of Law). Furthermore, the great atrocity committed against the Master is that a Jew has carried another Jew to a Gentile court. As noted above, not only was it a Gentile court, it was a Gentile court devoid of Torah standards.

As we will see, Rut affects a tikun (reparation) for the sin of her people by accepting the judgment of a Righteous Judge. Consequently, the Jewish people in Diaspora are not to assimilate into the national norms of foreign countries. This we have discussed in the past. The Priesthood of the Jewish people is obligated to teach the nations the appropriate way to live and walk. Only after we have accomplished this task can we find solace and peace in Eretz Yisrael.

Yeshua’s words, “Go therefore, and Talmudize (teach Talmud to) all [the] Gentiles” (Matthew 28:19) has experienced little success because of wrong doctrinal baggage attached to it.

Yeshua clearly taught that we are to live within these lands and abide by the rules of those lands so long as they do not interfere with the Halakhic norms established by the Sages.[30] Our present Torah Seder, D’barim 16:18- 18:13 dwelsl on the establishment of courts of justice.

The King of the Jews

The grave sin of the Roman system, noted above was that of injustice. The court of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees) was in grave error in sentencing Yeshua. The court of Pilate was in error in sentencing an innocent man based on the desires and pressures the High Priest of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees). While, the Roman governor was not technically subordinate to the Jewish Tz’dukim (Sadducees), as I have discussed above, Pilate played right into the hands of the Jewish Tz’dukim’s (Sadducees) desire for Yeshua’s death.

Not only did the crowd, prompted by the Priesthood of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees) ask for the life (freedom) of a murderer, Bar Abba, they asked for the death of an innocent man. Not only did they ask for the death of an innocent man, they asked for his crucifixion, “crucifixion being the most barbaric form of execution and utmost cruelty.”[31] Josephus tells us that the crucifixion is the most vicious death a man can experience.[32] Crucifixion, thought to have originated among the Persians was more humane that the previous system of impaling criminals on a stake, therein being suspended. Nonetheless, its use was for the sake of intimidation, humiliation and a means of prolonging a torturous death. The crucifixion of individuals was never carried out on Roman citizens as a rule. However, when the crime warranted such punishment, it was carried out on citizens and slaves alike without hesitation. However, generally, it was usually reserved for lower class citizens of slaves. This may be because the Romans inherited this heinous system from the Germani or Britanni where these atrocities were committed against the Romans.[33] And, as is pointed out in the present pericope, crucifixion is the punishment of murderers, robbers, mischief-makers and deceivers.[34] Therefore, Yeshua’s trial by a Roman court, which prosecuted him as a criminal who was found guilty and sentenced to death.[35] His death on the cross was the most humiliating death possible for a Jew.

Note how “just” the Roman system was…

Mar 15:24 And they crucified him and divided his Tallit among themselves (Pilate’s cohort) casting lots for who should take it.

This so called “court” condemns an innocent man to die and then “robs” him of his clothing and Tallit. Then, he is hung between two robbers, one on the left and one on the right as if he himself were a robber. My contention is there is not even a modicum of justice in the entire travesty, called “a trial.”

Conclusion

Why did I start with the story of Ruth? This time of the year, we are reminded of varied heroines, Judith, Deborah and Ya’el only to mention a few. While Rut read at Shavuot (Pentecost) in the month of Sivan, taking into account the bimodal aspect of the Torah, we would presently be reading passages associated with the month of Sivan had we started in the month of Nisan. The Sages of blessed memory have taught us that Rut was a Moabite Princess. Rut’s acts of generosity towards Naomi caused her to leave behind her Moabite heritage and embrace the religion of her deceased husband. However, the greater act of chesed (loving-kindness) was to demonstrate her altruistic love in helping Naomi return to her people. This act of selfless chesed (loving-kindness) is an unprecedented act of generosity. Why? Because the Moabite people initially sought the destruction of the B’ne Yisrael as they traveled towards the Promised Land. As I stated above, Rut’s acceptance of Judaism has caused her to stand as the prototype for all converts. Likewise, the act of generosity she demonstrates to Naomi should be seen as the appropriate response of the Gentile towards the Jewish People and Jewish authority. It was a Jewish Bet Din (Court of Justice) that accepted Rut as a convert. This situation caused the Rabbis and Judges to exegete a truth that the Moabite women could convert to Judaism.

Lloyd Gaston finds “the Gentile Predicament”[36] of the end times as, summed by the Rabbis terminated in one of two ways. Either the Gentiles will be destroyed or they will find salvation by being incorporated into Judaism.[37] Consequently, we see the path of “salvation” for the gentile is to embrace Jewish authority. And therefore, all courts will be subordinate to Jewish Authority!

Connections to Torah readings

Torah Seder

Hakham Tsefet connects with the Torah Seder immediately through the demonstration of a court of injustice. The Torah Seder begins with a command for just courts. Yeshua’s judgment and condemnation is in no way a just court.

Tehillim

Psalms 120 may fit with Yeshua’s thoughts while he is preparing to embrace the cross. He has suffered at the hands of the “mighty” and felt the coals of brooms.

Ashlamatah

Mordechai connects with the Ashlamatah in the same way it connects with the Torah Seder. The Prophet cries out for courts of justice. The Nazarean Codicil demonstrates a court devoid of justice.

Mitzvoth From the Torah Seder

Torah Add	M#	Mitzvah	Oral Torah
D’barim 16:18	491	The Precepts of establishing Judges and officers in every community of Jewery	m. San
D’barim 16:21	492	Prohibition against planting trees in the Sanctuary	m. Avodah Zarah
D’barim 16:22	493	Prohibition against erecting a Idolatrous pillar	m. Avodah Zarah
D’barim 17:1	494	Not to present an offering with a temporary blemish
D’barim 17:10	495	The religious duty to pay heed to every Sanhedrin in every period	m. San
D’barim 17:11	496	Not to disobey the voice of the Sanhedrin	m. San
D’barim 17:15	497	Precept of appointing a King	m. San, R.H.
	498	Appoint ONLY an Israelite as King
D’barim 17:16	499	The King should not acquire an undue amount of horses	m. San, Makkot
	500	Not to dwell in the land of Egypt
D’barim 17:17	501	The King should not take an undue amount of wives	m. San
	502	The King should not amass gold and silver, except only for what he needs	m. San
D’barim 17:18	503	The King is to write a Torah Scroll	m San
D’barim 18:1	504	Tribe of Levi is to have no inheritance
D’barim 18:1	505	Tribe of Levi has no share of booty from conquest
D’barim 18:3	506	Precept of giving specific parts of an offering to the Kohen	m. Hullin
D’barim 18:4	507	Separating the Terumah, the Kohen’s portion from produce	m. Hullin, Maaserot
D’barim	508	Precept the first of the Fleece should be given to the Kohen	m. Hullin

Some Questions to Ponder:

1. From all the readings for this week, which particular verse or passage caught your attention and fired your heart and imagination?

2. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 16:18?

3. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 16:20?

4. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 16:21?

5. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 17:6?

6. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 17:8?

7. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 17:97?

8. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 17:11?

9. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 17:17?

10. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 17:18?

11. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 18:2?

12. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 18:9?

13. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Deut. 18:13?

14. What in the Torah Seder this week fired the imagination of the Psalmist as he penned Psalms 120-123?

15. What in the Torah Seder this week fired the imagination of the prophet in the Ashlamatah of Isaiah 56:1ff?

16. How does Psalm 121 relate to our present pericope of Mark?

17. What in the Torah Seder, Psalm and Prophetic Lesson for this week fired the imagination of Hakham Tsefet as his scribe penned Mark 15:22-28?

18. In your opinion what key message/s did Hakham Tsefet try to convey in Mark 15:22-28?

19. What important Halakhic principles can be learned from Mark (Mordechai) 15:24?

20. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message (the idea that encapsulates all the Scripture passages read) for this week?

Blessing After Torah Study

Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,

Ashér Natán Lánu Torát Emét, V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.

Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!

Blessed is Ha-Shem our God, King of the universe,

Who has given us a teaching of truth, implanting within us eternal life.

Blessed is Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

“Now unto Him who is able to preserve you faultless, and spotless, and to establish you without a blemish,

before His majesty, with joy, [namely,] the only one God, our Deliverer, by means of Yeshua the Messiah our Master, be praise, and dominion, and honor, and majesty, both now and in all ages. Amen!”

Next Sabbath:

“Shabbat Ki HaGoyim HaEleh”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
כִּי הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה
“Ki HaGoyim HaEleh”	Reader 1 – D’barim 18:14-22	Reader 1 – D’barim 21:10-12
“For these gentiles”	Reader 2 – D’barim 19:1-10	Reader 2 – D’barim 21:12-14
“Porque estos gentiles”	Reader 3 – D’barim 19:11-21	Reader 3 – D’barim 21:10-14
	Reader 4 – D’barim 20:1-9
D’barim (Deut.) 18:14 -21:9	Reader 5 – D’barim 20:10-15
Ashlamatah: Micah 5:11 – 6:8	Reader 6 – D’barim 20:16-20	Reader 1 – D’barim 21:10-12
Psalm 124 - 128	Reader 7 – D’barim 21:1-9	Reader 2 – D’barim 21:12-14
	Maftir: D’barim 21:5-9	Reader 3 – D’barim 21:10-14
	Micah 5:11 – 6:8
N.C.: Mark 15:29-32

Coming Fast: Fast of the 10^th of Tebet

January the 5^th, 2012

For further study see:

http://www.betemunah.org/tevet10.html

Shalom Shabbat !

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

HH Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

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[1] The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman, on verse 119:73.

[2] Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Volume 5, By Jean Calvin, Calvin Translation Society

[3] By Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

[4] Sukkah 53b

[5] http://m.chabad.org/m/article.asp?aid=1048349, Encyclopedia of Observances, Holidays and Celebrations from MobileReference,  By MobileReference

[6] The Bible – Psalms with the Jerusalem Commentary, volume three. By Amos Hakham.

[7] The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman, on verse 119:73.

[8] The Messiah who is a descendant of King David.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] I am indebted for this accurate translation from the Greek text to His Honor Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham.

[12] Corresponding to 1^st Hakham, 2^nd Hakham and Apostle 3^rd of the bench of three - Chokhmah, Bina and Da’at

[13] The Mohel (circumciser) like the Chazan (cantor) embody the aspirations and authority of the local congregation and the Bet Din. (Jewish court of authority)

[14] Connected with the concept of Yir’ah, the fear of G-d. The ministry of the Sheliach – Chazan – Bishop

[15] Here when everything is contextualized we can understand the meaning of these verses. The Jewish authorities hold in their power the ability to allow or prohibit circumcision, acceptance of gentile conversion. Interestingly enough the Greek μάχαιραν holds the idea of some sort of contention. This is not always the case with the μάχαιραν, however in our present case the μάχαιραν is the judgment for or against conversion. The servant who holds the circumcision knife is the final word on ritual circumcision and conversion.

[16] Fear, Yir’ah is related to the Chazan or Bishop (Sheliach/Apostle of the Congregation)

[17] Here love, agape is associated with the Masoret – Catechist – Evangelist

[18] Approximately between 9:00 and mid-day.

[19] Corresponding to 1^st Hakham, 2^nd Hakham and Apostle 3^rd of the bench of three - Chokhmah, Bina and Da’at

[20] The Mohel (circumciser) like the Chazan (cantor) embody the aspirations and authority of the local congregation and the Bet Din. (Jewish court of authority)

[21] Connected with the concept of Yir’ah, the fear of G-d. The ministry of the Sheliach – Chazan – Bishop

[22] Here when everything is contextualized we can understand the meaning of these verses. The Jewish authorities hold in their power the ability to allow or prohibit circumcision, acceptance of gentile conversion. Interestingly enough the Greek μάχαιραν holds the idea of some sort of contention. This is not always the case with the μάχαιραν, however in our present case the μάχαιραν is the judgment for or against conversion. The servant who holds the circumcision knife is the final word on ritual circumcision and conversion.

[23] Fear, Yir’ah is related to the Chazan or Bishop (Sheliach/Apostle of the Congregation)

[24] Here love, agape is associated with the Masoret – Catechist – Evangelist

[25] Gaston, L. (1987). Paul and the Torah. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press. p. 9

[26] Ibid p. 23

[27] Cf. Acts 10 *v28

[28] Cf. San. 56-60a

[29] Connected with the concept of Yir’ah, the fear of G-d. The ministry of the Sheliach – Chazan – Bishop

[30] Cf. Mark 12:16

[31] Hengel, M. (1977). Crucifixion, In the ancient world and the folly of the message of the cross. Philadelphia: Fortress Press. p. 22

[32] Cf. BJ 7.202ff see also BJ 5:449-51

[33] Hengel, M. (1977). Crucifixion, In the ancient world and the folly of the message of the cross. Philadelphia: Fortress Press. p. 38

[34] Ibid p.9

[35] Ibid p. 19 footnote 11

[36] Gaston, L. (1987). Paul and the Torah. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press. p. 9

[37] Ibid p. 27