Torah Seder Tishri 24, 5768

Esnoga Bet Emunah

227 Millset Chase - San Antonio, Texas 78253

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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Tishri 24, 5768 – Oct. 5/6, 2007	Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times

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

Friday October 5, 2007 – Candles at 6:58 PM Friday October 5, 2007 – Candles at 5:32 PM

Saturday October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 7:50 PM Saturday October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 6:25 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday October 5, 2007 – Candles at 6:59 PM Friday October 5, 2007 – Candles at 6:38 PM

Saturday October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 7:53 PM Saturday October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 7:27 PM

Cebu, Philippines Jakarta, Indonesia

Friday October 5, 2007 – Candles at 5:26 PM Friday October 5, 2007 – Candles at 5:29 PM

Saturday October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 6:15 PM Saturday October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 6:18 PM

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

Shabbat Mevar’chim HaChodesh Heshvan

Sabbath of the Proclamation of the New Moon for the month of Heshvan

New Moon: Thursday evening Oct. 11 – evening Oct. 13

For further study see: http://www.betemunah.org/chodesh.doc

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
אֶסְפָה-לִּי
“Es’fah Li”	Reader 1 – B’midbar 11:16-22	Reader 1 – B’midbar 13:1-3
“Gather to Me”	Reader 2 – B’midbar 11:23-25	Reader 2 – B’midbar 13:4-9
“Júntame”	Reader 3 – B’midbar 11:26-29	Reader 3 – B’midbar 13:10-16
B’midbar (Num.) 11:16 – 12:16 B’midbar (Num.) 28:9-15	Reader 4 – B’midbar 11:30-35
Ashlamatah: Joel 2:16-24, 27	Reader 5 – B’midbar 12:1-3
Special Ashlamatah: I Sam. 20:18,42	Reader 6 – B’midbar 12:4-13	Reader 1 – B’midbar 13:1-3
Psalm 99	Reader 7 – B’midbar 12:14-16	Reader 2 – B’midbar 13:4-9
	Maftir – B’midbar 28:9-15	Reader 3 – B’midbar 13:10-16
N.C.: Matityahu 21:1-11	Joel 2:16-24, 27 I Sam. 20:18,42

Roll of Honor:

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

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Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

B’Midbar (Numbers): 11:16 – 12:16

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
16. Adonai said to Moshe: "Gather seventy men for Me, from among the elders of Israel, [men] whom you know to be the people's elders, and its officers, and you will take them to the Tent of Meeting, and they will stand there with you.	16. Then spoke the Lord unto Mosheh, Gather together in My name seventy righteous/ generous men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be elders of the people, and who were set over them in Mizraim, and bring them to the tabernacle to stand there with you.
17. I will descend and speak there with you, and I will make greater the spirit which is upon you, and place it on them, and they will bear, along with you, the burden of the people so that you need not bear it alone.	17. And I will be revealed in the glory of My Shekinah, and will speak with you there, and will amplify the spirit of prophecy that is upon you, and bestow it upon them; and they will sustain with you the burden of the people, that you may not bear it alone.
18. You will say to the people, prepare yourselves for the morrow and you will eat meat, for you have cried in the ears of Adonai, saying: "Who will feed us meat; we had it good in Egypt"; [now] Adonai gives you meat and you will eat.	18. And say you to the people, Make ready against the morrow that you may eat flesh; because you have lamented before the Lord, saying, Who will give us flesh to eat? for it was better with us in Mizraim. The Lord therefore will give yon flesh that you may eat.
19. Not for one day will you be eating and not for two days; not for five days, not for ten days, and not for twenty days.	19. You will not eat it one day, nor two days, nor five, nor ten, nor twenty days;
20. But rather for a month of days, until it comes out of your nostrils and it will be repulsive to you; [this is] because you have rejected Adonai Who is among you, and you have cried before Him, saying: "Why have we come out from Egypt"?	20. for a month of days, until the smell of it comes forth from your nostrils, and it become a loathing to you; because you have been contemptuous against the Word of the Lord, whose glorious Shekinah dwells among you, and because you have wept before Him, saying, Why should we have come out from Mizraim?
21. Moshe said: "The people are six hundred thousand on foot that I am among and You say that I will give them meat, to eat it for a month of days?	21. But Mosheh said, Six hundred Thousand footmen are the people among whom I dwell, and You hast said, I will give them flesh to eat for a month of days!
22. Will sheep and cattle be slaughtered for them would that be sufficient for them? If all the fish of the sea would be gathered for them, would that be sufficient for them"?	22. Will the flocks of Araby or the cattle of Nabatea be killed for them to satisfy them, or all the fishes of the Great Sea be collected, that they may have enough?
23. Adonai said to Moshe: "Has the Hand of Adonai become short? Now you will see if My words will occur unto you or not."	23. And the Lord said to Mosheh, Can any thing fail before the Lord? Now will you see whether what I have said to you will come to pass or not.
24. Moshe went out and spoke the words of Adonai to the people, and he gathered seventy men from the elders of the people and he had them stand around the Tent.	24. Then Mosheh went forth from the tabernacle, the house of the Shekinah, and told the people the words of the Lord. And he called together the seventy men, the elders of Israel, and placed them around the tabernacle.
25. Adonai descended in a cloud and spoke to him, and He magnified the spirit which was upon him and He gave it unto the seventy men, [who were] the elders. When the spirit came to rest upon them they prophesied, and they did not cease.	25. And the Lord was revealed in the glorious Cloud of the Shekinah, and spoke with him. And He made enlargement of the (Spirit of) prophecy that was upon him, so that Mosheh lost nothing thereof, but He gave unto the seventy men, the elders: and it was that when the Spirit of prophecy rested upon them, they prophesied, and ceased not.
26. Two people remained in the camp; one's name was Eldad and the second one's name was Medad. The spirit rested upon them; they were among those inscribed, and they did not go out to the Tent, and they prophesied in the camp.	26. But two men had remained in the camp; the name of the one Eldad, and the name of the second Medad, the sons of Elizaphan bar Parnak, whom Jokebed the daughter of Levi bare to him when Amram her husband had put her away; and to whom she had been espoused before she gave birth to Mosheh. And the Spirit of prophecy resting upon them, Eldad prophesied, and said: Behold, Mosheh will be gathered from the world; and Jehoshua bar Nun, the minister of the camps, will be established after him, and will lead the people of the house of Israel into the land of Kenaan, and make it their inheritance. Medad prophesied, and said: Behold, quails come up from the sea, and cover all the camp of Israel; but they will be to the people (a cause of) an offence. And both of them prophesied together, and said: Behold, a king will arise from the land of Magog, at the end of the days, and will assemble kings crowned with crowns, and captains wearing armor, and him will all nations obey. And they will set battle in array in the land of Israel against the children of the captivity; but already is it provided that in the hour of distresses all of them will perish by the burning blast of the flame that comes forth from beneath the Throne of Glory; and their carcases will fall upon the mountains of the land of Israel, and the wild beasts of the field and the fowls of the sky will come and consume their dead bodies. And afterward will all the dead of Israel live (again), and be feasted from the ox which hath been set apart for them from the beginning, and they will receive the reward of their works. And they were of the elders who stood in the registers among them; but they had not gone forth to the tabernacle, but had hidden to escape from the dignity; yet they prophesied in the camp. [JERUSALEM. And there remained two men in the camp: the name of one of them Eldad, the name of the second Medad, upon whom rested the Holy Spirit. Eldad prophesied, and said: Lo, Mosheh, the prophet, the scribe of Israel, will be gathered from the world, and Jehoshua bar Nun, his disciple, minister of the camps, will succeed. Medad prophesied, and said: Behold, quails come up from the sea; but they will be an offence to the children of Israel. Both of them prophesied together, and said: At the end, the end of the days, will Gog and Magog and his host come up against Jerusalem; but by the hand of the King Mashiach they will fall, and seven years of days will the children of Israel kindle their fire with their weapons of war, not going into the wilderness, nor cutting down the trees. And they were of the seventy sages, who went not from the tabernacle, while Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp.]
27. The youth ran and told Moshe, and said: "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."	27. And a certain young man ran, and told to Mosheh, and said: Eldad and Medad are prophesying thus in the camp.
28. Yehoshua the son of Nun answered, [he being] the attendant of Moshe, from his youth, and he said: "My master Moshe, destroy them!"	28. And Jehoshua bar Nun, the minister of Mosheh, answered and said: Rabboni Mosheh, pray for mercy before the Lord, that the Spirit of prophecy may be withheld from them.
29. Moshe said to him, "Are you vengeful for me? Would it be that all Adonai's people were prophets, that Adonai would give His Spirit upon them."	29. But Mosheh said to him, Because they prophesy concerning me that I am to be gathered from the world, and that you are to minister after me, are you jealous for my sake? I would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that He would bestow the Spirit of prophecy upon them.
30. Moshe entered into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.	30. And Mosheh proceeded to the camp, he and all the elders of Israel.
31. From Adonai there gusted a wind and He caused quail to fly from the sea and spread them over the camp, about a day's journey from this side and about a day's journey from that side, around the camp, and about two amot above the ground's surface.	31. And the wind of a tempest went forth, and came violently from before the Lord, so as to have swept the world away, but for the righteousness of Mosheh and Aharon: and it blew over the Great Sea, and made the quails fly from the Great Sea, and settle wherever there was place in the camp, as a day's journey northward and southward, and at the height as of two cubits; they flew upon the face of the ground, and went upon their bellies, so that (the people) were not wearied while they collected them.
32. The people arose all of that day, the entire night and the entire next day, and they gathered the quail. He who gathered the least amount, gathered ten heaps and they spread them for themselves around the camp.	32. And they who had been wanting in faith arose: and all that day, and all the night, and all the day that followed, they gathered the quails; even he who was lame and infirm gathered ten korin, [JERUSALEM. Ten korin,] and they spread them abroad round about the camps.
33. The meat was still between their teeth before it was [even] finished, when the wrath of Adonai was incited upon the people, and Adonai smote the people an enormous blow.	33. The wicked ate of the flesh, yet offered no thanksgiving to Him who had given it to them: but while the flesh was between their teeth, and not consumed, the anger of the Lord waxed strong against the evil people, and the Lord slew the people with a very great mortality.
34. He called the name of that place Kivrot Hata’avah, for it was there that they buried the people who had these cravings.	34. And he called the name of that place, The Graves of the Desirers of Flesh; for there they buried the people who had desired flesh.
35. From Kivrot Hata’avah the people journeyed to Chatzerot, and they stayed in Chatzerot.	35. And from the Graves of the Desirers the people journeyed to Hatseroth, and they were in Hatseroth.

1. Miriam and Aharon spoke about Moshe concerning the Cushite woman that he married, for, he married a Cushite woman.	1. And Miriam and Aharon spake against Mosheh words that were not becoming with respect to the Kushaitha whom the Kushaee had caused Mosheh to take when he had fled from Pharoh, but whom he had sent away because they had given him the queen of Kush, and he had sent her away. [JERUSALEM. And Miriam and Aharon spake against Mosheh about the Kushaitha whom he had taken. But observe, the Kushite wife was not Zipporah, the wife of Mosheh, but a certain Kushaitha, of a flesh different from every creature: whereas Zipporah, the wife of Mosheh, was of a comely form and beautiful countenance, and more abundant in good works than all the women of her age.]
2. They said: "Is it only to Moshe that Adonai has spoken? Did He not also speak with us"? and Adonai heard.	2. And they said, Hath the Lord spoken only with Mosheh, that he should be separated from the married life? Hath He not spoken with us also? And it was heard before the Lord.
3. The man, Moshe [was] most humble, more so than any other person on the face of the earth	3. But the man Mosheh was more bowed down in his mind than all the children of men upon the face of the earth; neither cared he for their words.
4. Adonai said, suddenly, to Moshe, Aharon and Miriam: "Come out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting," and the three of them went out.	4. And the Lord said to Mosheh, to Aharon, and to Miriam, Come forth, you three, to the tabernacle. And those three went forth.
5. Adonai descended in a pillar of cloud and He stood at the entrance of the Tent, and He called [to] Aharon and Miriam, and both of them went out.	5. And the Glory of the Lord was revealed in the Cloud of Glory, and He stood at the door of the tabernacle, and called Aharon and Miriam: and those two came forth.
6. He said: "Please listen to My words. If there will be a prophet among you, [I,] Adonai, will make Myself known to him in a vision; in a dream I will speak to him.	6. And He said, Hear now My words, while I speak. Have any of the prophets who have arisen from the days of old been spoken with as Mosheh hath been? To those (prophets) the Word of the Lord hath been revealed in apparition, speaking with them in a dream.
7. That is not the case with My servant, Moshe; in My entire house he is trusted.	7. Not so is the way with Mosheh My servant; in all the house of Israel My people he is faithful. [JERUSALEM. Not so is My servant Mosheh among all the company (of the prophets), the chief of the chiefs of My court, faithful is he.]
8. Mouth to mouth I speak to him, in a vision and not in riddles; he gazes at the likeness of Adonai; so why are you not afraid to speak about My servant, about Moshe"?	8. Speaker with speaker have I spoken with him, who hath separated himself from the married life; but in vision, and not with mystery, revealed I Myself to him at the bush, and he beheld the likeness of My Shekinah. And why have you not feared to speak such words of My servant Mosheh?
9. Adonai's anger flared against them and He left.	9. And the glory of the Lord's Shekinah ascended, and went.
10. The cloud departed from atop the Tent and behold! Miriam became afflicted with tzora'as white as snow; and Aharon turned towards Miriam and behold, she was afflicted with tzara'at.	10. And the glorious Cloud of the Lord's Shekinah went up from above the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam was seized with the leprosy. And Aharon looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she had been smitten with leprosy.
11. Aharon said to Moshe: "Oh, my master please do not put iniquity upon us for what we have foolishly done and for what we have transgressed.	11. And Aharon said to Mosheh, I beseech of thee, my lord, not to lay upon us the sin we have foolishly committed, and by which we have transgressed.
12. Please let her not be like the dead; That, since he came from his mother's womb, it would be as half of his own flesh was consumed."	12. I entreat thee that Miriam, our sister, may not be defiled with leprosy in the tent, as the dead, for it is with her as with the infant which, having well fulfilled the time of the womb, perishes at the birth: so Miriam was with us in the land of Mizraim, seeing us in our captivity, our dispersion, our servitude; but now, when the time has come for our going forth to possess the land of Israel behold she is kept back from us. I entreat thee, my lord, to pray for her, that her righteousness may not come to nought among the congregation. [JERUSALEM. 12. Let not Miriam, our sister, be a leper, polluted in the tent as one dead. For it is with her as with the infant who hath passed nine months in its mother's womb, in water and in heat, wiYout injury, but which after all perishes at the birth. So was Miriam, our sister, carried away with us into the desert, and with us in our trouble; but now the time hath come that we may enter into the land of Israel, why should she be kept from us? Pray now for the dead body that it may live, and that her righteousness may not fail.]
13. Moshe cried out [in prayer] to Adonai, saying: "Please, G-d, please heal her."	13. And Mosheh did pray, and seek mercy before the Lord, saying: I pray through the compassions of the merciful God, O Eloha, who hast power over the life of all flesh, heal her, I beseech thee. [JERUSALEM. O Eloha, who healest all flesh, heal her.]
14. Adonai said to Moshe: "If her father were to spit in her face would she not be in shame for seven days? She will be closed off for seven days, beyond the encampment, and after that, she may join again."	14. And the Lord said to Mosheh, If her father had corrected her, would she not have been disgraced, and secluded seven days? But today, when I correct her, much more right is it that she should be dishonored fourteen days: yet will it suffice to seclude her seven days wiYout the camp; and for thy righteousness will I make the Cloud of My Glory, the tabernacle, the ark, and all Israel, tarry until the time that she is healed, and then re-admitted.
15. Miriam was closed off beyond the encampment for seven days, and the people did not depart until Miriam was brought in to join them.	15. And Miriam was kept apart wiYout the camp for seven days, and the people went not forward until the time that Miriam was healed.
16. After that, the people traveled from Chatzerot and they camped in the desert of Paran.	16. But Yough Miriam the prophetess had made herself liable to be stricken with leprosy in this world, the doctrine is ample that in the world to come (there remains a reward) for the just, and for them who keep the commandments of the law. And because Miriam the prophetess had watched for a little hour to know what would be the fate of Mosheh; (Exod. i.) for the sake of that merit all Israel, numbering sixty myriads, being eighty legions, and the Cloud of Glory, the tabernacle, and the well, went not, nor proceeded, till the time that she was healed: and afterward the people journeyed from Hatseroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Pharan. [JERUSALEM. But Yough Miriam the prophetess had become liable to leprosy, we have ample doctrine that by keeping the commandments and precepts a man who does even a little will receive a great reward. Thus, because Miriam the prophetess had stood on the river bank for a little hour, to know what would be the end of Mosheh, the sons of Israel, being sixty myriads, and eighty legions in number, and the Cloud of Glory and the well, now moved not, nor went forward from their place, till the time that she was healed of her leprosy; but after she was healed the people journeyed from Hatseroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Pharan.

Midrash B’Midbar Rabba to Numbers 11:16 – 12:16

17. The following exposition was made by R. Tanhuma: AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL (XI, 16). Halakhah: Within how many cubits is one under the obligation of rising in the presence of an old man? Our Rabbis have learned as follows (Kid. 33a): Within a distance of four cubits one is under the obligation of rising in the presence of an old man; for it says, You will rise up before (i.e. a greater distance than four cubits is not regarded as being ‘before’ or 'in the presence of’) the hoary head (Lev. XIX, 32); and he must greet him within a distance of four cubits. What kind of honor did the Torah mean by the expression, And you will honor (ib.)? One will not stand in his habitual place nor sit in his habitual place, nor contradict his statements. When one asks him a law, one must do so with reverence. One must not be hasty in replying to him, nor break in upon his words. For whosoever does not observe these marks of respect towards his teacher, is termed a wicked/lawless man before the Omnipresent, his learning slips from his memory, his years are shortened, and finally he sinks into poverty; as it says, But it will not be well with the wicked/lawless, neither will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he fears not before God (Eccl. VIII, 13). Now I do not know what the fear just mentioned alludes to, but when it says, 'You will rise up before the hoary head ... and you will fear your God’ (Lev. loc. cit.), it must refer to reverence for one's teacher. If so, ‘fear’ is mentioned also in connection with interest and in connection with weights? The fact is, said R. Eleazar, that it says here, ‘The face of the old man’ and it says in the other passage, ‘He fears not God.’ One is in duty bound to give a teacher precedence over all other people, permitting him to enter first and to depart first, and one must show him reverence and honor; for it says, ‘You will fear (eth) the Lord your God’ (Deut. VI, 13), and it was taught: ’Eth’ serves to include masters of Torah, for you can have no other guide to conduct to compare with the Torah. In the same strain it says, And make them heads over you (ib. I, 15), from which you learn that you must behave towards the teacher as towards a prince, by standing up in his presence, giving him precedence in all matters of dignity. R. Abba the priest, son of Pappa, remarked: Whenever I saw a group of people I used to take a different route so as not to put them to any trouble; I mean, so that they might not see me and stand up for me. When I mentioned the matter to R. Jose b. Zebida he said to me: It is your duty to pass before them so that they may see you and stand up for you, and in this way you make them God-fearing; for it says, “You will rise up before the hoary head... and you will fear your God.” Why so? Because the rise of the righteous/generous is a rise without a decline, but the rise of Esau is a rise which may lead to continual degradation. One day he is a governor, the next he is a deputy, the day after he is a magistrate's attendant and the day after that he is merely a captain. And it is the same with all their dignitaries. In this strain the prophet says, Though you make your nest as high as the eagle... I will bring you down from thence (Obad. I, 4). The rise of Jacob, however, is a rise in which there is no decline, and their sanctity never diminishes. In confirmation of this you find that the elders are among the thirteen things that are recorded in Scripture as belonging to the Holy One, blessed be He. The thirteen things are the following: Silver, gold, the priests, the Levites, Israel, the firstborn, the altar, the heave-offering, the anointing oil, the Tent of Meeting, the royal house of David, the sacrifices, the Land of Israel, and the elders. Whence do we know it of the silver and gold? From the text, Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold (Hag. II, 8). ‘The priests?’ Because it is written, And this is the thing that you will do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto Me (Ex. XXIX, 1). Whence of the Levites? From the text, And the Levites will be Mine (Num. III, 12). Whence of Israel? From the text, For unto Me the children of Israel are servants (Lev. XXV, 55). Whence of the firstborn? For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine (Num. VIII, 17). Whence of the altar? An altar of earth you will make unto Me (Ex. XX, 21). Whence of the heave-offering? That they take for Me a heave-offering (ib. XXV, 2). Whence of the anointing oil? This will be a holy anointing oil unto Me (ib. XXX, 31). Whence of the Tent of Meeting? And let them make Me a sanctuary (ib. XXV, 8). Whence of the sacrifices? My food which is presented unto Me for offerings made by fire (Num. XXVIII, 2). Whence of the royal house of David? For I have provided Me a king among his sons (I Sam. XVI, 1). Whence of the Land of Israel? For the land is Mine (Lev. XXV, 23). Whence of the elders? GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN.

18. GATHER UNTO ME. This bears on what Scripture says, It is He that builds His upper chambers in the heaven, and has founded His vault (agudatho) upon the earth (Amos IX, 6). To what may this be likened? To a palace built upon boats. As long as the boats are joined together the palace that is upon them stands. In the same way we can explain ‘It is He that builds His upper chambers in the heaven’. His throne, if one may be allowed the expression, is established on high when Israel form one band (agudah). This is the reason why it says, ’It is He that builds His upper chamber in the heaven.’ When does he build it? When ’He has founded His agudah upon the earth’. In the same strain it says, And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. XXXIII, 5). Accordingly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: GATHER UNTO ME. Why? Because the gathering together of righteous/generous people is a benefit to them and a benefit to the world. The gathering together of wicked/lawless people, however, is a stumbling-block to them and a stumbling-block to the world.

19. Another exposition of the text, GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN, Moses thought: What shall I do? If I bring five from each tribe the total will not amount to seventy and there will only be sixty. If I bring six from one tribe and five from another I will introduce jealousy between one tribe and another. What did he do? He took seventy-two ballots and wrote on them ' elder ‘, and another two ballots he left blank. Then he mixed then up in an urn and proclaimed: ' Come and draw your ballots.’ A man who drew out a ballot inscribed with the word ‘elder’ knew that he had been appointed an elder, and one who drew out a blank knew that he had not been appointed, and the superintendent would say to him: 'There is still a ballot in the urn inscribed with the word "elder", and had you been worthy of being appointed you would have drawn it.’ This procedure having been adopted, the elders were duly appointed. Eldad and Medad who were there withdrew into the background, saying: ‘We are unworthy of being among the appointed elders.’ In return for their self-effacement they proved to be superior to the elders in five things. (I) The elders prophesied only regarding the following day; as may be inferred from the text, And say you unto the people: Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow (Num. XI, 18), while these prophesied concerning what would happen at the end of forty years; as may be inferred from the text, But there remained two men in the camp... and they prophesied (ib. 26). What did they prophesy? Some say: The downfall of Gog (Cf. Ezek. XXXVIII, 1 ff), and others say that they prophesied that Moses would die and Joshua would bring Israel into the Land. There is proof of this in what Joshua says to Moses; And Joshua the son of Nun... answered and said: My Lord Moses, shut them in (ib. 28). And there ran a young man, and told Moses (ib. 27). Who was it? It was Gershon the son of Moses. (2) The elders did not enter the Land, but Eldad and Medad did. The former was Elidad the son of Chislon, and Medad was Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. (3) The elders were not explicitly mentioned by name, while these were. (4) The prophetic spirit of the elders came to an end [while theirs did not]. (5) That of the elders came from Moses, as it says, And I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them (ib. 17). These, however, derived their spirit of prophecy from the Holy One, blessed be He; as it says, And the spirit rested upon them (ib. 26). If you ask: Seeing that the elders derived their prophetic spirit from that of Moses, was the latter deprived of any of his prophetic spirit? The answer is in the negative. To what may this be compared? To a candle that was burning and at which many candles were kindled, yet the light of the flame of the first did not diminish. So it was here also. Moses lost nothing of his own; for it says, And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses (Deut. XXXIV, 10).

20. GATHER UNTO ME. Were there no elders in the past? Was it not already said in Egypt: Go, and gather the elders of Israel together (Ex. III, 16)? On what account then did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Moses: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN? To convey to you a lesson. When Pharaoh said: Come, let us deal wisely with them (ib. I, 10) and They did set over them taskmasters (ib. II), he gathered together all Israel and said to them: ’I beg of you, work with me to-day as a favour.’ Hence, when it is written, And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour--befarek (ib. 13), ’befarek’ implies ‘with tender words’ (befeh rak). The king took a basket and a trowel, and which man, seeing Pharaoh carrying a basket and a trowel, and working among the bricks, would not work too? Instantly all Israel set to eagerly and worked along with him with all their might, they being vigorous men and strong. When dusk fell he appointed taskmasters over them and said to them: 'Reckon up the number of bricks.’ Thereupon they rose and counted them. Then he said to them: ‘This number you must produce each day.’ He appointed Egyptian taskmasters over the officers of Israel, while the officers were put in charge of the rest of the people. When Pharaoh said to them: You will no more give the people straw... and the tale of the brick... you will lay upon them (ib. V, 7 f.), the taskmasters came and counted the bricks. If they found the numbers deficient the taskmasters smote the officers; as it says, And the officers of the children of Israel... were beaten (ib. 14). The officers allowed themselves to be smitten for the rest of the people and did not hand them over to the taskmasters, thinking: It is better that we should be smitten and that the rest of the people should not be exhausted. Consequently, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Sovereign of the Universe! I know not who is worthy and who is not.’ Said He to him: WHOM YOU KNOW TO BE THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE, AND OFFICERS OVER THEM (ib.), namely those elders and officers who submitted their bodies to be smitten for the people's sake in Egypt on account of the total of bricks, let them now come forward, and accept of this greatness. For this reason it says, WHOM YOU KNOW TO BE THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE, AND OFFICERS OVER THEM. In return for their having submitted themselves to be smitten for the community, THEY WILL BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE PEOPLE WITH YOU (ib. 17): the phrase WITH YOU serves to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, put them on a level with Moses. From this you can infer that whosoever sacrifices himself for the sake of Israel will attain to glory, to greatness, and to the Holy Spirit. On this account it is written, WHOM YOU KNOW TO BE THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE, AND OFFICER'S OVER THEM. Who were they? Those about whom it is written, ’And the officers of the children of Israel... were beaten.’

21. GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN. But where were the former ones? This bears on the text, He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquisition, and sets others in their stead (Job XXXIV, 24). While they were still in Egypt they had seventy elders; as it says Go, and gather the elders1 of Israel together (Ex. III, 16). These elders came out of Egypt with them, and when Moses went up to receive the Torah they were with him; as it says, Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel (ib. XXIV, 9); And unto the elders he said: Tarry you here for us (ib. 14). When Moses went up he promised Israel that he would come down in forty days’ time. Seeing that he delayed in coming down--as it says, And when the people saw that Moses delayed--boshesh (ib. XXXII, 1)--’boshesh’ bearing no other meaning than that of delay; as is proved by the text, Why is his chariot so long (boshesh) in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? (Judg. V, 28)--all Israel came to the elders and said to them: Moses promised us that he would come down at the end of forty days, and though now it is six hours beyond that time he has not come down and we do not know what has happened to him. Up, make us a god who shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him’ (Ex. XXXII, 1). When the elders heard such words they said to them: ‘Why do you provoke Him who wrought for you all those miracles and wonders?' But they would not listen, and killed them. Furthermore, because Hur stood up and expostulated with them, they rose upon him also and slew him. All Israel came to Aaron in serried ranks; as it says, The people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him: Up (ib.)! Why do you sit? ’Up.’ R. Isaac expounded: It was the Holy Spirit crying: I hate the gathering of evil-doers, and will not sit with the wicked/lawless (Ps. XXVI, 5). ’UP, make us a god,’ and if not, then ’As for this’! We shall do to you the same as this! As we rose against Hur and slew him, so will we do to you! When Aaron saw what they had done to the elders and to Hur, he was afraid of them; as it says, And when Aaron saw this, he built (wayyiben) an altar-mizbea'ah. (Ex. XXXII, 5); ’wayyiben mizbe'ah’ means, he understood (hebin) from the one who lay slaughtered (zabu'ah) before him. How do we know that they slew the elders and Hur? From the fact that Jeremiah reproves Israel by saying: Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in; yet for all these things (Jer. II, 34). What is the implication of the expression ’For all these’? It means, because of the statement, These are your gods (Ex. XXXII, 4). What punishment did He inflict upon them? And the Lord smote the people, because they made the calf (ib. 35). After a time, when He pardoned them, He said to Moses: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN in place of the seventy who were slain for the sanctification of My name. This explains the text, ’He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquisition, and sets others in their stead.’

22. GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN. This bears on what the Scripture says: The words of the wise are as goads (kaddarbonoth), and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd (Eccl. XII, 11). ’Kaddarbonoth’ implies that they are like a girls’ ball (kaddur shel banoth). As a girls’ ball is thrown this way and that, so were the commandments flung far and wide from Sinai. Another exposition of the text, ’As nails (masmeroth) well fastened.’ From this the Sages have inferred that it is forbidden to read the un-canonical books; for it is written, ’As nails (masmeroth) well fastened,’ which may be read mishmaroth: as there are twenty-four priestly divisions (mishmaroth) so there are also twenty-four books in Scripture. ’Those that are composed in collections’ applies to the Sanhedrin. Should you object that while one Sage permits, another prohibits; while one disqualifies, another declares fit; while one rules that a thing is unclean, another rules that it is clean; while R. Eleazar condemns, R. Joshua acquits; while Beth Shammai disqualify, Beth Hillel declare fit; to whom then shall we listen? the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Nevertheless, "They are all given from one shepherd."

23. GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN (ISH). This bears on what Scripture says, He that loves pureness of heart, that has grace in his lips, the king will be his friend (Prov. XXII, 11). Why did He say not, ‘Gather unto Me seventy anashim,’ but ’Seventy ish‘? The singular implies that they must be outstanding individuals, (Royal Men) who should resemble Me and you; as it says, The Lord is a man of (ish) war (Ex. XV, 3) and of Moses, Now the man (ha'ish) Moses was very meek (Num. XII, 3).

24. GATHER UNTO ME. But did they not have elders before this? Is it not written in connection with Mount Sinai, ’Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders,’ etc. (Ex. XXIV, 9)? And the present passage deals with an event subsequent to this! Where then were the elders? The fact is that when Israel came to commit the offence alluded to in the words, And the people were as murmurers (Num. XI, 1), they were all burned in that instant. Their burning had been postponed like that of Nadab and Abihu, for they also had acted with levity when, on ascending Mount Sinai, they saw the Divine Presence. It says in that connection: And they beheld God, and did eat and drink (Ex: XXIV, 11). But was there any eating and drinking on such an occasion? To what may this be compared? To the case of a servant attending upon his master while holding a piece of bread in his hand and biting from it. Similarly they acted with levity as though engaged upon eating and drinking. For this the elders as well as Nadab and Abihu deserved to be burned instantaneously. As, however, the day of the giving of the Torah was dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, He did not wish to harm them on that day by making an inroad on them. Hence it is written, And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand (ib.); from this you may infer that they deserved to have a hand laid upon them. At a subsequent date, however, He collected the debt from them. Nadab and Abihu were burned when they entered the Tent of Meeting, and the elders also were burned when they were filled with that lusting, of which it says, And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting (Num. XI, 4). What is implied by ‘The mixed multitude’ (asafsuf)? R. Simeon b. Abba and R. Simeon b. Menasya offer differing explanations. One of them says that they were the proselytes who came up with them out of Egypt and were gathered up (ne'esafim) into one body with them; as it says, And a mixed multitude went up also with them (Ex. XII, 38). The other says that the ’asafsuf’ were the Sanhedrin; as may be inferred from the text, GATHER (ESFAH) UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN. What is written in connection with the mixed multitude? And the fire of the Lord burned among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of (bikezeh) the camp (Num. XI, 1); ’bikezeh’ implies, ‘in the thorns (bakkozim)’ that were in the camp.’ Whence can we infer that the elders who had ascended Mount Sinai were burned? From the text, And a fire was kindled in their company--’adatham (Ps. CVI, 18), and ‘company’ (‘edah) denotes but the Sanhedrin; as may be inferred from the text, Then it will be, if it be done by the eyes of the congregation-’edah (Num. XV, 24)2; it is also written: And if the whole congregation of Israel shall err (Lev. IV, 13). In the same strain it says, When the anger of God went up against them, and slew of the lustiest among them (Ps. LXXVIII, 31); this alludes to the Sanhedrin; And smote down the chosen ones of Israel (ib.); namely those chosen men who were called elders, of whom it is written, And David again gathered together an the chosen men of Israel (II Sam. VI, 1), [and whom He smote] when they turned and wept, and asked for flesh. Shall we assume that they asked for the flesh of animals? But surely the manna changed in their mouth into any taste they desired; as it says, And He gave them their request (Ps. CVI, 15), And He gave them that which they craved (ib. LXXVIII, 29). Shall we say that they had no oxen or cattle? But surely, it is already written, ’And a mixed multitude went up also with them’; and flocks and herds (Ex. XII, 38). Shall we assume that they had eaten them up in the wilderness? But surely, it is written, Now the children of Reuben... had a very great multitude of cattle (Num. XXXII, 1). Hence R. Simeon concluded that they did not lust for flesh, but for sexual contact, as is borne out by the text, He caused flesh (she’er) also to rain upon them as the dust (Ps. LXXVIII, 27); ‘she'er’ cannot but denote near relationship; as is proved by the text, None of you will approach to any that is near of kin (she'er) to him (Lev. XVIII, 6). You must conclude therefore that it is this that they wanted; viz. that consanguineous marriage should be permitted to them. Accordingly it says, And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family (Num. XI, 10). When they asked for such a thing, therefore, The anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased (ib.). Thereupon Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Wherefore have You dealt ill with Your servant? (ib. 11). In times past, he implied, I had someone with me who helped to bear the burden, but now I am alone; as it says, I am not able to bear all this people myself alone... and if You deal thus with me, kill me, I pray You, out of hand (ib. 14 f.). At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: ‘Appoint instead of those elders others to take their place’; as it says, GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN.

25. AND I WILL COME DOWN AND SPEAK (XI, 17). This serves to inform you that the day of the appointment of the elders was as dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the day on which the Torah was given; for in that connection it is written, The third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people (Ex. XIX, 11), and also in connection with the appointment of the elders the expression ‘coming down’ is used. To what may this be compared? To the case of a king who had an orchard. He hired a keeper for it and paid him wages for the care of it. After a time the keeper said to the king: 'I am unable to look after the whole of it alone. Bring other additional men to help me watch over it.' Said the king to him: 'I gave you the entire orchard to watch, handing to you all the fruits resulting from your care of it, and now you say: "Bring me additional men to help me watch!" I will bring others to help you watch. You must realize, however, that I will not pay them wages for watching from my own funds but that they will receive their wages from the payment that I have been giving to you!' A similar answer was given by the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses. When he told Him, ’I am not able to bear... alone,’ the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: ‘I gave you spirit and intelligence to govern My children. I sought no other, so that you might be unique in the enjoyment of that greatness. Yet you ask for the assistance of others! I want you to realize that they will receive nothing of Mine, but that I will take of the spirit which is upon you’ (Num. XI, 17). This notwithstanding, Moses lost nothing, for at the end of forty years He said to him: Take to you Joshua the son of Nun... And you will put of your honor upon him (ib. XXVII, 18 ff.). What is written of him? And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him (Deut. XXXIV, 9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘In this world only a few individuals have prophesied, but in the World to Come all Israel will be made prophets’; as it says, And it will come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men, etc. (Joel III, 1). Such is the exposition given by R. Tanhuma, son of R. Abba.

Ketubim Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 99

JPS Translation	TARGUM
1. The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake.	1. The LORD reigns, the peoples will tremble; He whose presence abides among the cherubim will shake the earth.
2. The LORD is great in Zion; and He is high above all the peoples.	2. The LORD is great in Zion; and He is high over all the Gentiles.
3. Let them praise Your name as great and awful; Holy is He.	3. They will confess His name, great and fearful; He is holy.
4. The strength also of the king who loves justice -You hast established equity, You have executed justice and righteousness/generosity in Jacob.	4. And You love the strength of the king of justice; You have established integrity; You have made justice and righteousness/generosity in Jacob.
5. Exalt you the LORD our God, and prostrate yourselves at His footstool; Holy is He.	5. Sing praise in the presence of the LORD our God, and bow down towards His sanctuary; He is holy.
6. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name, did call upon the LORD, and He answered them.	6. Moses and Aaron are among his priests who gave their life for the people of the LORD, and Samuel prayed for them before the LORD, like the fathers of old, who prayed in His name; they would pray in His presence and He would answer them.
7. He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud; they kept His testimonies, and the statute that He gave them.	7. In the pillar of glorious clouds He would speak with them; they kept the commandments [of] His testimony, and the covenant that He gave to them.
8. O LORD our God, You did answer them; a forgiving God were You unto them, though You took vengeance of their misdeeds.	8. O LORD our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God for Your people for their sake, and take vengeance for their deeds.
9. Exalt you the LORD our God, and worship at His holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.	9. Sing praise in the presence of the LORD our God, and bow down towards the mount of His sanctuary, for the LORD our God is holy.

The Midrash on Psalms (Midrash Tehillim): Psalm 99

I. The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble (Ps. 99:1). R. Judah said in the name of R. Samuel: As long as the children of Israel are in exile, the kingdom of heaven is not at peace; yet the nations of the earth dwell unperturbed. When the children of Israel are redeemed, however, the kingdom of heaven will be at peace, but the peoples of the earth will tremble. Hence The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble.

He is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth stagger (ibid. 99:1)—stagger this way and that way. Why Because The Lord is great in Zion; and He is high above all the peoples (Ps. 99:2).

R. Johanan took the words The Lord is great in Zion to mean that God is great because of what He has done to Zion. His own house He has not spared; therefore, when He returns to punish the destroyers thereof, how much greater their punishment.

But R. Hanina interpreted the words The Lord is great in Zion as follows: When the Lord causes His presence to return to Zion, then will He be great in Zion. R. Johanan said: A verse in Scripture supports R. Hanina: When the Lord shall build up Zion, then He will appear in His glory (Ps. 102:17).

II. The King’s strength also loves judgment (Ps. 99:4). You find that when a man is strong, he does not make use of the way of judgment. But the Holy One, blessed be He, loves judgment, as is said For I the Lord love judgment (Isa. 61:8). Accordingly, R. Abbahu took the verse to mean: “Even though God’s is the strength, God loves judgment, and makes use of the way of judgment.”

III. You have established equity (Ps.99:4). R. Alexandri took these words to mean: You have established order in Your world. When a man has a claim against his neighbor, he appears with him before the law, and after both pledge themselves to accept what the law decides, they make peace. Hence You have established equity.

Or when a man going along the way sees his enemy’s ass fallen down under its burden, he goes forward, lends a hand, and helps his enemy in loading and in unloading. Then both men go into an inn, and the latter says, “So-and-so is my friend after all, and I thought that he was my enemy.” They fall to talking with one another, and peace results between them. What was it that caused the two men to make peace and become friends? It was that the first man kept what is written in the Torah: if you see the ass of him that hates you fallen down under its burden, you will forbear to pass by him, you will surely release it with him (Ex. 235). Of Torah It is written Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace (Prov. 3:57). Accordingly You do bring about justice and righteousness/generosity in Jacob (Ps. 99:4) refers to the verse Now these are the judgments which you will set before them (Ex. 21:1).

IV. Moses and Aaron among His priests (Ps. 99:6). R. Yudan taught in the name of R. Jose bar Hanina, and R. Berechiah taught in the name of R. Joshua ben Karha: In all the forty years that the children of Israel were in the wilderness, Moses did not hesitate to minister as high priest, for it is said Moses and Aaron among His priests.

R. Berechiah in the name of R. Simon said, however: This point is fully made in Scripture in the passage The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should be sanctified as most holy, he and his son: for ever, to offer before the Lord, to minister unto Him. So, too, Moses the man of God. His sons, however, are named among the tribe of Levi (I Chron. 23:53-54).

R. Eleazar bar Jose taught: On each of the seven days of consecration, Moses, wearing a white linen garment that had no seam, ministered as high priest.

And Samuel among them that call upon His name (Ps. 99:6). What is the point of mentioning Samuel with Moses and Aaron? Even as Moses and Aaron prayed for the congregation of Israel, so did Samuel. Hence it is said And Samuel among them that call upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them.

Ordinary Ashlamatah: Joel 2:16-24, 27

16. Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her pavilion.

17. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say: 'Spare Your people, O LORD, and give not Your heritage to reproach, that the Gentiles should make them a byword: wherefore should they say among the peoples: Where is their God?'

18. Then was the LORD jealous for His land, and had pity on His people.

19. And the LORD answered and said unto His people: 'Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied therewith; and I will no more make you a reproach among the Gentiles;

20. But I will remove far off from you the northern one, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the eastern sea, and his hinder part toward the western sea; that his foulness may come up, and his ill savor may come up, because he has done great things.'

21. Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for the LORD has done great things.

22. Be not afraid, you beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree bears its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength.

23. Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He gives you the former rain in just measure, and He causes to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, at the first.

24. And the floors will be full of corn, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil.

25. And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palm-worm, My great army which I sent among you.

26. And you will eat in plenty and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD your God, that has dealt wondrously with you; and My people will never be ashamed.

27. And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and there is none else; and My people will never be ashamed. {P}

Special Ashlamatah: I Sam. 20:18,42

18. And Jonathan said unto him: 'Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, your seat will be empty.

42. And Jonathan said to David: 'Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying: The LORD will be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, for ever.' And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 21:1-11

¶ When they neared Yerushalayim and came to Bet-Pagah towards Har Zeitim (Mount of Olives), then Yeshuah sent forth two Talmidim
saying to them, “Go into the suburb opposite you, and at once you will find a mare ass tethered there and a foal by her. Having undone them, bring them to me.
If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Master needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This became in order that what was spoken by the Prophet Z’kharyah might be fulfilled, saying (Zechariah 9:9):
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Tsiyon. Shout, O daughter of Yerushalayim. Behold, the Melekh (King) comes to you. He is triumphant and victorious, lowly and riding upon an ass – even upon a foal, the offspring of a mare ass.”
Then, having proceeded and did as Yeshuah had prescribed to them,
the Talmidim brought the mare ass and the foal, and put tallitoth (prayer mantles) on them and he sat on them.
Many of the congregation spread their tallitoth (prayer mantles) as canopies on the way, and others were cutting branches from the trees to hold the tallitoth and make canopies over the road
The congregations, those preceding and those following, were crying out saying (Psalm 118:25-26, 148:1): “Save us (Mashiach) ben David! Welcome in the name of Ha-Shem. Give praise to the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the heights.”
As he came into Yerushalayim, all the city shook saying, “Who is this?”
The congregations answered, “This is Yeshuah the Prophet from Nazareth in the Galil.”

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai